


Endless Circles

by BlackDragon41



Category: Team Fortress 2
Genre: Accidental revelation that Spy is Daddy, Action, As In Character as I can possibly make it, Awkward Father-son bonding, Don't be surprised, F/M, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, HEAVY KNOW ALL(seriously how does he know things? like wth?!), Has inspired elements from YouTube saxxy submissions and TF2 fan videos, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Medic needs to stay out of everyone's buiss, Mostly follows comic Team Fortress 2, Pyro learns responsibility wtf, Scout bedridden, Scout don't know how to be Son, Scout in a comatose, Scout living in his nightmares, Scout trying to impress but fails, Slice of Bromance, Slice of Romance, Slow Build, Sniper just needs to sleep, Spy don't know how to be Dad, Spy is trying damn it!, Spy trying to cope with his son and the possibility that he will never wake up, Spy was a Spy all along, TF2 type humor, Team Bonding, Team as Family, Terrible attempts to type in slang, This is REAL shiet, Tragedy, slight AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-20
Updated: 2017-08-21
Packaged: 2018-12-04 02:32:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 35,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11545632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackDragon41/pseuds/BlackDragon41
Summary: The band of Mercs had thought it was all over and that they could return to their lives after many pointless battles over the years under Mann Co, that is until a bounty goes up on all of their heads for their slandered reputation and they have no choice but to fight, flee, and hide from Bounty Hunters until Miss Pauling can find a way to give them back their freedom.In this process Scout finds out a certain secret that he was never meant to know, running from this truth he finds himself trapped in an endless loop of a nightmare that he cannot easily escape. But he is not alone, he keeps finding the most unwanted company by his side every time to steady him along, just unaware of how close they were the entire time.A roller-coaster ride of denial, acceptance, pressure, chaos, humor, drama, bodies, tragedy, Gunfights, Friendly and Not so friendly Team Banter, battles, chases, struggles, learning new moves, going trough tough shit, trying to be family even if it's really awkward, and learning to let go.NOW WITH WORK IN PROGRESS STORY COVER! EDIT: V5 Dealing with shadings again, spent a lot of time shading Scout, added effects in an attempt to make snow. Kind of a fail





	1. Going Nowhere Fast

**Author's Note:**

> First Team Fortress 2 Fic, Inspired by FreshSalad's comic 'Forsaken' (should totally go read it) along with many TF2 saxxy vids, other TF2 videos, and the official TF2 comic. 
> 
> Slight AU because I wanted to write this but still be in the general 'cannon' area.
> 
> So here my fic is, even though I'm still a bit new to the fandom. Whooo! Love Scout so expect him to be the main character along with Spy, Heavy, Medic, and Sniper. Don't worry I won't 'try' to neglect the others, Engie is too precious to ignore. :3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOW WITH WORK IN PROGRESS STORY COVER! EDIT: V5 Dealing with shadings again, spent a lot of time shading Scout, added effects in an attempt to make snow. Kind of a fail.
> 
> Seeing so many nice TF2 pics and comics has inspired me to jump back onto the Digital art wagon! ... or at least for the cover and maybe more later if I'm feeling artsy!
> 
> In progress, so yeah, looks like shit XD

"Here we are guys, your not so new- but now hide-away fortress." Came the voice of a young woman.

All of the eyes of the Mercenaries landed on a big red wooden building as they cleared the frosty slope to their new location. The first one up the hill was a shivering Scout, then followed by Soldier, Zhanna, Pyro, Miss Pauling, Spy, Sniper, Engineer, Demoman, Medic, and last Heavy. They stopped at the top, all the men stood in their places with frozen faces of disdain, annoyance, exasperation, and disappointment. Miss Pauling tried to look hopeful with a small smile though she knew it wouldn't actually be enough to put the men at ease, this place wasn't their ideal hideout when they used to battle at nicer forts and hold onto intelligence that always needed to be guarded by would be thieves.

Not to mention, it was too damn cold.

"Oh this is great, this place? Four days on foot and freezing my ass off for this? Might as well be sitt'n duckcicles out here." Scout sighed with the warmth of his breath escaping into the chilly air. He straightened his posture by placing his hands on his back and bending his spine back into place before pocketing his hands and keeping himself straight to avoid losing anybody heat. This was the last place they should have come to when they were all told that they were fugitives of the law and had bounties on all of their heads, the place was too obvious and he'd be damned if they stayed here for even a minute when they are all wanted dead or alive with a pretty penny for each one of them. Even him, probably with the highest bounty for his handsome face. "Besides, we got no propa clothes for the weather and it's too damn cold." He added.

Everyone silently agreed with nods but no one moved for a long minute.

"My feet are like bricks of ice, so uh can we move on now?"

"Quit complaining about cold Scout, you do it too much. It is easy fix."

Miss P sighed. "Here we go again." She muttered to herself, another bicker session. Jumping in would only make it worse, she's tried before twice and the results are wasted hours of pointless banter.

"I'm not skinn'n no wild animal to wear like a fur coat got it? And I'm not gonna hightail it back cause this team needs me and ya'all know it. And I'm DEFINITELY not gonna stuff myself with a bunch of fatty foods and take on pounds just for insulation! I have the most perfect and healthy figure here. All of you're 'suggestions' stink!"

"Bah! Fine then." Heavy's sneer fell flat as he came up with a new idea. "Okay here be a suggestion you can't argue about. Have Pyro heat up leetle' man with fire. Good Da?" Heavy patted the shorter guy on the back, he nearly swung back and forth like a tree limb in being too stiff to move much.

"For once- great idea." Scout nodded and slowly turned around to face the arsonist who tilted his head in wonder. "Okay pal spit some fihya." Saying that made him suddenly think twice, he quickly spoke again before Pyro started up the flamethrower. "Wait! Spit some fihya... but not at me, ...or my face, ...or my manly chest, ...or my legs and feet, ...or my face."

"You already said face."

Scout's eyes darted to Heavy. "I'm just mak'n it crystal clear Big Guy. He flexed his arms and puffed out his chest, then moved a hand up and smoothed his hand over his facial features like a model. "Ya see dis? Dis is perfection, a gift from God to women everywhere pal. Destroy this, and you'll make all women of the world cry; even the old ones ...and the dead ones too."

Miss Pauling stifled a laugh and turned away to hide it.

Spy rolled his eyes and groaned with disdain, the boy was an embarrassment.

Sniper grunted. "Egotistical mongrel."

"Should make leetle' man dance; it a good idea too, heat his feet." Heavy whispered in Pyro's direction.

"So Mumbles, give me some fiyah, but just not in my general direction that would be considered too close or singe my clothes, by the way; really need those. Got it?" Scout noticed some broken wooden planks nearby partially buried in the snow and rubbed his chin in thought. "Or better yet, burn something like that useless pile of wood chips there." He pointed. "That way we can all huddle around it and get some feeling back in our limbs, and it would be for everyone so we can all agree."

"Hmm mhmm mhmmm hmm?" Muffled words came from the masked pyromaniac.

Engineer shook his head. "Hold that thought Pyro, you have to save whatever ya got left; we don't even know if there's any gasoline in the supply reserves here yet." He looked over at Scout with a apologetic expression. "As much as I would love to cuddle up next to a fire and kick back right now; we're bout to get in this here base soon. Bet it'll be much better in there and be'n shielded from the snow than stand'n out here even without a fire. Sides, we gotta conserve what supplies we got, even Pyro's fuel. We're all be'n hunted."

Pyro turned to the Texan and then looked down at the flamethrower in his grasp, it did feel lighter than it did since the last encounter of the bounty hunters.

"Then why are we still stand'n out here?" Scout frowned and pouted. "You wanna know why? Cause this place freak'n sucks. That's why. It's a bunch of barns stitched together like some freakish country Frankenstein fort. Home sweet home." He finished sarcastically.

"Hey it's the first fort where you finally got some real recognition in this band of Mercs if you remember correctly, you first ever stand up against us when all we did was mock you for being the rook. You even threw a punch at Sniper for runn'n his gums."

"Don't remind me." The Aussie scowled.

"Yeah cause I was tired of the bull cripe, ya guys wouldn't eva shut up."

Several feet away from the loud conversations; Demoman laughed heartily from all the bickering, it never failed to bore him. "Lad is spout'n nonsense again and starting up fights, consider'n where he came from he should be okay with the ice and snow. Aye Spy?" He elbowed the man next to him.

Spy carefully smoothed out the crinkle in the side of his suit and pulled out a smoke and lit it up before glancing over at the Scot. "Should, but being in desert bases for a few years has made him a wimp, not that he wasn't one to begin with of course."

"He's still grow'n. Though could do without the over use of complaints."

"Agreed, but being loud and obnoxious is his forte." He watched as Scout for a moment, still blabbering on about the run down base to Engie who was trying to avoid raising his voice. "It's impossible to shut him up when he starts, you'll just have to ignore him; it usually works, most times anyway."

"Ya. The wee lad needs to cut loose and let things go, he sure hates to lose; even at arguments. It's his weakness, that attitude of his."

"Tell me about it." Spy took another long puff. "Headstrong and arrogant."

"I hate this place! Good memories or not!" Scout shouted.

"What should I do, what should I do?" Miss P asked her self as she paced back and forth in the snow, moving around was actually keeping her a bit warm so she didn't stop until Medic noticed and approached with a concerned expression.

"Um, zhis vould not be an ideal place Miss Pauling. Ve've been here before for and for quite some time, a rather nice place for zhe hunters to begin in zhe search Ja?" Medic pointed out, even with the amount of space in his old infirmary and all the supplies he had to leave behind once before; it was still a location that a lot of their infiltrators had engaged them at. Not to mention, all of his old tools and supplies might not be there anymore; medical tools of any sorts run good prices these days. He'd be lucky to even find a replacement scalpel or extra syringes for his syringe gun with scavengers looting the abandoned bases as they have before at other locations. To find any medicine, pills, health kits, or fluids of any kind would be a blessing. His Medi Gun also needed a desperate refill, but he had little hope in that happening here.

The woman rolled her eyes and pried her arms from her torso to place on her hips. "Here we are, ideal or not ideal." She laughed nervously knowing that no one wanted to come back to this fort with the issue at hand being their heads worth thousands of dollars and they needed to be in hiding, nor the fact that it was cold; but she had her reasons and hoped the guys would understand.

"Oi, this place is dreadful. What ya try'n ta do? Get us killed?" Sniper stepped forward and snorted, he slung his rifle over his shoulder after doing a quick scan of the area from a safe distance. He didn't see any movement yet but that didn't mean that the place was inhabited by potential enemies or traps. "We go in dere and we're likely to walk right into an ambush and I don't plan on dy'n today mate."

Miss Pauling moved in front of all the men and waved her hands before them gently to hopefully have their undivided attention and put them at ease. "Look guys, I know what you are all thinking." She paused and wrapped her arms around herself again, removing them in the first place was a bad idea. Being the only one even remotely suited for the cold other than Pyro, frozen air still went through the thin purple jacket she wore.

"We're back home to the Barn Blitz!" Soldier said as he raised his hand with a big grin unfazed by the punishing cold, he then just as quickly folding his fingers into a fist then pounded his knuckles into his other hand. "Well I for one am on board with that idea, the armory in there is the best hidden one we ever owned and-." He beamed. "And I'm looking forward to traps and ambushes and some bounty scum to pummel out! Been out of action for too long!"

"Three days." Spy muttered with exasperation since avoiding the bounty hunters was their goal until Pauling made a move to cover them from the law as planned.

"Three LONG days, son! Bound to go stiff if we don't get the old blood flowing, surely don't need to lose the edge in battle by hiding all the time; or standing around in the snow." He finished.

Demoman reached out and grabbed Soldiers shoulder and made the guy look at him. "Aye, but we are no match for them Soldier, not all those men when we got no ammo, no clothes and no fortification. Besides," He then pulled out his last glass of beer and tipped it upside down with nothing but a single drop of fluid escaping the rim of the bottle. "I'm out of me liquid warmth." He finished more somberly.

"That's hardly an excuse if you ask me, pull yourself together man." Soldier shook him lightly and he nearly stumbled backwards until Heavy caught him. "Who needs ammo when we got these!" He raised his fists and shook them. "What do ya think made the guns and grenades we use? What do you rely on to even hold the guns in the first place?!"

He then patted his bicep and flex a little. "This was made in America, built tough. We don't need weapons when all we need are right here." He gestured his palms and coiled them into fists, he then looked over to the side and moved closer to one of his other teammates. "And Engie, we know he has a metal one, neat right?!" He grabbed Engineer's gloved metal hand and waved it despite the Texan's silent protest.

"You'll pull it off. " Engie ripped his hand free and grumbled lowly to himself. "Not easily replaced partner."

"Soldier, you so much more handsome vhen you are smart." Zhanna pulled him into an embrace and traced his jawline with her index finger while wearing a seductive smile, the man beamed like he was a star.

"We get the point Mr Stars n' Stripes, but we ain't fight'n on equal grounds with anyone that can shoot ya dead from several feet away. Hand-ta-hand combat is resourceful but not in this situation, your hands not gonna catch any bullets or rockets and they certainly ain't gonna throw them eitha. In these temps they're likely to fall right off, ya ought'a know betta mate." Sniper retorted and Soldier crossed his arms with a scowl, the man had a point but he wasn't about to admit it. It would be a cold day in hell before that ever happened.

"Can we please leave already?" Scout asked while rubbing his upper arms to stimulate blood flow."

"I agree vith Scout, let's go somewhere vith actual supplies; ve've been away from zhis place for far too long. Zhere may be nothing left in here." Medic attempted persuasion and smiled gently.

"Da, if it makes Baby-Man zip lips." Heavy nodded.

"We're burn'n daylight out here guys, let's just go in already."

Engie added.

"Who ya call'n Baby, Fatty!" Scout countered but jumped away when a huge fist swung at him.

"You Baby, complain and complain."

"Can't they ever cooperate without an argument for even one minute? It's like the battlefield was the only place they could get along" Pauling massaged her temples after feeling a headache coming, she tapped her forehead and squeezed her eyes shut.

Spy growled, they had been standing in front of the base for several minutes and were still getting nowhere and getting nothing done. It's been that way for the whole trip and it was enraging him to the point of killing someone, not that doing so would do any good but at least it would make him feel a little better. However, he was more reserved than that, so he kept his trigger happy fingers clenched.

Watching them ignore the woman in charge of their lives also ticked him off, she looked very stressed and though she had been hiding most of it; he could see right through her façade. It was a disgrace! All of these pathetic men, did they already forget what position they were currently in or who was risking their life on their behalf? He spat the cigarette into the snow and stomped down on it.

"EVERYONE, I WANT SILENCE THIS INSTANCE!" Spy snapped and the voices died out quick, all eyes fell upon him. He paced back and forth in front of his comrades with his hands behind his back, eyes locked and narrowed at his fellow men. "We came all this way out here to hide, it was Miss Pauling's idèe. She's risking everything to keep us alive and hidden from the law and from would be men that want our heads on a pike for a stack of cash! Even her very life is willing to be put on the line and you would question her choice after everything she's done and what possible sacrifices she's about to make?!"

This made everyone's expressions fall, Engie looked to the ground while Pyro shrunk into himself a bit. Heavy quietly apologized in his native language and Sniper scoffed. Scout lightly gaped and lowered his head, Spy had a real point and a smart one too; he didn't think to consider what Miss P was doing for them. It's like he forgot in his own selfishness, now he felt like shit.

"Zhanna barely spoke." The bodacious woman; though considerate of the words, still felt like she was targeted when she didn't say much of anything but sweet things to her Soldier.

"Now gentlemen and lady, with that said can we please stop bickering and get to the point of being here already? We are in a dire situation and strapped for time so save your despicable mouthing off for later." He then lightly bowed with one arm behind him while gesturing his right hand towards Miss P to encourage her to begin again. "As you were miss."

And thank God for the guy that has the power to shut everyone up, Spy was always the saving grace to end the banter battles and smart too. She kind of wished everyone else could be at least a little more observant and self controlled as him. Would make her job a little easier.

"Thanks Spy." She nodded and began again. "Okay, so we're back here at 'Barn Blitz' Soldier calls it; for multiple reasons, but mostly because it's the most solitary, hidden, the least expected place for bounty hunters. And... was also the closest one to us at the time." She finished more quietly on the last reason but began again with a more confident expression. "As Medic had said, it's been a while since you've been here but it's also where you've spent a few months before as well so you're all familiar with it."

"That's been almost two years now miss." Engineer spoke up. "We can't be sure that it's stocked in supplies or even safe to be in."

"Well I apologize if it's not, I'm only going by the information that I found in the team's records. Anyway, it's been abandoned for a long time now; so it'll do nicely in hiding you guys for the time being and I'm certain the electricity still works! Besides, unless the bounty men are suited up for cold and snow then they will likely be discouraged from coming up here. Can't argue with that right?" She shrugged.

"I reckon." Engie lifted his hard hat and scratched the back of his head, still not fully convinced.

Scout, despite trying his best to still his quivering ankles and forgetting the past argument of saying the place was the worst one to be at; gave Miss Pauling a thumbs up and beamed. "You're so smart Miss Pauling, I never would have thought about that, really. Great think'n." He was okay with giving up his prideful stand, so long as it was for her that is. "If this is the place you choose then you can count me in. Now I know you're excited and all but let's move the rest of this convo inside." He pointed towards the building with his hitchhiking thumb.

"Thanks for the compliment Scout, but until the place has been thoroughly searched; we can't go in there. Like Sniper had suggested, it would be unwise to even step foot onto the property until we've at least managed to get an okay from a quick sweep."

"I'll do it," Scout perked up and volunteered, he pulled his hat on more firmly and grabbed his scatter gun from the sling over his shoulder. He flexed his arms and then stretched his legs in prep for a run. He suddenly didn't feel like a popsicle, at least not with the woman counting on someone so brave and skilled enough for the task. "I'll only take one moment." He readied himself to go but quickly froze in place when she shook her head.

"Actually, we need-." He stayed frozen in position and looked at her with a frown. "Scout look, I know you'd like to but... we need someone more 'quiet' for this one."

"I'm light on my heels." He countered.

"Yes, but if there is someone taking residence in this place and if they're armed... or if there's traps... or alarms..."

"Oh, okay I get it." He stepped back slightly dejected and shivered. "I'm too loud and proud to be a snake in the grass anyways, speaking of snake-n'-the-grass; where's Spy?"

Everyone looked around but the suited man was nowhere to be seen.

"I'm right in front of you."

Miss Pauling jumped a bit when the voice came from behind her, she turned around and everyone's eyes fall onto the shape of a man coming out of cloak. It was Spy. The man pulled out another cigarette and lit it. "Is everything clear?"

"For the most part yes, the yard and entrance is clear, no traps, third and second story is vacant. I have yet to check the platform, basement, living quarters, armory, infirmary, or out back, but so far there has not even been a hint of life. No footsteps in the snow or misplaced things yet. The electricity still works and the water runs... adequately. It is safe to at least move everyone inside the entrance for the time being, I will go and search the rest of the area while you all settle in."

"We appreciate it Spy, it'll be much nicer discussing this meeting in the building; we can always count on you."

Hearing this made Scout scowl and cross his arms, he could have the whole building checked by the time Spy even cleared the first floor.

"Pas de problème." He nodded accordingly and folded his arms behind his back, he didn't even need to see the runner to tell that the boy was angry. How unfortunate.

"Alright then, let's head inside. I've got info on some of the bounty men, it may provide some help in preparations should you find yourselves attacked by these professionals. Besides, it is way too damn cold out here." No one protested with that idea, they followed behind the woman.

Spy swayed his head back and forth as he watched Scout follow Miss P like a dejected and angry puppy, it was pitiful. It's no wonder the woman has yet to find anything truly appealing in the boy, the kid was stubborn, loud-mouthed, arrogant, cowardly at times(many times actually), and surprisingly too shy for someone with his demeanor. He should have been more the opposite given the largest portion of his personality showing confidence and fortitude. But mostly nothing like Spy himself, someone who knows how to win a woman's heart with hardly any trouble at all yet still holding strong attributes he shares with the runner like assertiveness.

He often wondered how Scout was his son when there was hardly much resemblance except for their facial features and stalky form, of course he wasn't there for the boy growing up so it wasn't too surprising.

He noticed that Scout was attempting to reach out and grab the woman on the shoulder but stopped himself, the guy wasn't going to get anywhere on his own at this rate. Spy cloaked himself and moved forward.

"Whoooaaa!" Scout felt a shove at his back and went stumbling forward towards Miss Pauling, he managed to catch and re-balance himself when he swung an arm around the shorter lady.

"Whoa Scout!" Miss P nearly lost her own balance but felt herself caught in Scout's grasp and avoided planting to the ground face first. She then looked up at the runner and he scratched the back of his head nervously. "Um thanks." She smiled though it was kind of his fault that they almost toppled into the snow.

Scout quickly glanced back over his shoulder to see only Sniper at a close enough distance to have shoved him, the man only shot a confused look and shrugged but Scout blinked for a second and smiled which only confused the rifleman more. Sensing a great opportunity to be close to his dream gal he then moved closer and wrapped his arm over her shoulder and brought her into a slight embrace. He was feeling real ballsy for getting this far though it wasn't on his own accord so why not try to get somewhere with this almost perfect chance?

"Uh Scout, what are you doing?" She asked still smiling with the guy shielding some of the drafts of cold air, she was trying to avoid his now suave-like gaze. When did he ever get this bold? She thought.

"I was-. Uh... Ya know..." 'Shoved.' He thought to himself but wasn't about to say that, hell no! Scout almost tripped on his own words but his fantastical brain conjured up some of the things Spy thought him about swaying smart ladies and getting dates, even with those lessons happening a while ago; he still remembered. He also remembered something about bread that was less pleasant, and gross.

The runner tightened his grip a bit and felt his confidence grow. "Yeah! I saw how cold you were and this chilly breeze was cutting right through you and... uh, I wasn't going to settle for seeing ya freeze like that. Not anymore. Sides, I'm kinda cold myself." His assertiveness did wavier a little and he rolled his eyes a bit while trying to gather the right words to say. "I'm tired of watch'n ya freeze, ... yeah that's it!" He finished more bravely and grinned. "Can't have a pretty face like yours freezing up right? Not when everything ya doin' is for all of us, ya deserve all the warmth of the world!"

That last bit was sort of awkward but not surprising for someone like Scout, the guy was really trying this time and he did make her feel a little more warm so Miss Pauling gave him the benefit of the doubt and leaned into him. At least for this one time. "Thanks, it is pretty cold out here."

"No problem." Scout said with confidence restored, he then tilted his head back and gave an appreciative expression to Sniper and also a thumbs up. "Genius." He quietly muttered. That guy was the man for getting him this close to Miss P, the closest to a possible relationship with her since the last time they almost dated back when they were hired mercs and when she only had one day of the year off.

Sniper raised a brow and muttered, "Genius? What are ya talking about ya ankle-biter?" He did so quietly and looked even more lost with Scout's behavior, he didn't shove the guy into the woman if that was what the bloody runner was wondering. Scout had mouthed a 'Thanks Pal' and walked Miss P right up the ramp and into the main entrance.

Sniper stopped before entering when something off to the side caught his attention. His befuddled expression fell when he saw footprints forming in the snow and heading towards the back yard. It was obviously Spy he thought.

"Wait a sec." He paused. If Spy was cloaked and walking next to him the whole time then... The Aussie shook his head back and forth. "Spy, ya fancy bloody wuss, can't keep the truth from him forever mate." He whispered to himself though he knew his words would fall on deaf ears, he slowly walked up the ramp to join the others inside; not aware that his back had a bright red laser light in the dead center of his torso nor that he was in the middle of someone's rifle scope aimed right at him.  
...


	2. Dust, Mud, Snow, and Blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dust blows, Mud dries, Snow melts, and Blood, it stains.
> 
> The Mercs are ready to settle in and pry into the knowledge of their new enemies, yet are not aware that they may be hunted the very moment they step into their base. Spy hasn't came back yet and Sniper goes to find out just why, only to find a startling truth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mostly focuses on some Character development in this chapter, but towards the end it'll pick up the base of the plot, the next chapter or so will bring the main focus onto 'Scout' and his story. Thanks for reading and please bear with me. ☻

The place was more dusty than he last remembered, Engie followed by Pyro moved to the first open room where they once used to gather after a long day to celebrate their victories; or return to tend to their wounds and take the usual scolding. The large rust-encrusted iron table along with it's two long benches still remained intact and in place. Engineer walked over to the surface and ran his non gloved fingers across it, he lifted up his hand to see the layer of wooden flecks, dust, oil, and metallic powder coating his skin. He mushed the particles and rubbed them between his index finger and thumb.

"Woo-wee, the dust is so thick ya can make it inta gravy. It's certainly been quiet the while, right Pyro?"

The Arsonist nodded and then started kicking up dust as he wiped one of the benches down with his hands; not caring that he was making a dust cloud or getting dirty. He planted his bottom on the edge and propped his elbows on the surface while twiddling with his fingers, he looked happy to finally sit down somewhere.

He also stared at the table for a long minute before lightly running his fingers through the layer of industrial grime like it was water. Then out of nowhere he threw his hands up and slammed them down on the table which stirred up the particles and sent them flying in all directions.

Engie coughed a few times and moved his hands back and forth in front of his face to blow the stagnant air away from him, he wasn't wearing no mask. "Why ya gon and done th-that partner?" He coughed and backed away as Pyro started to wipe away the dust from the table and the bench he sat on, looked like he was having fun.

"Hmmma hmmm humm hmm mmmhhh!" Pyro looking through his mask saw a nice and smooth silver table covered in layers of colorful glitter, just watching it fly as he moved his hand through the sparkles was so exhilarating. Glitter was everywhere and Engie looked to be dancing around in it with the big smile on his face. Feeling even more excited, Pyro pulled himself up from the table then sent a huge pile towards his happy comrade waving his arms in delight and beaming like he was having a good o'l time.

"Again, again!" Engineer begged and danced with laughter and joy in the rain of colors.

"Stop, stop!" Engie backed away from the thick haze and started to cough a little louder in the corner of the room, he turned a little to see Pyro enjoying himself like a kid that first experienced snow. What he wouldn't give to live in Pyro's world for even a minute. "You can stop now!"

"This place is a mess, how long we staying here again?" Demo asked as he entered the same room, watching Pyro play around and Engie holding his gloved hand over his nose and mouth. The layer of dust wasn't the only mess. There was empty bottles of booze and antiseptics lying around, also some trash and scrapped pieces of guns caked in filth. Despite the nasty air, it really didn't bother him that much, although it did make him sneeze to his dismay. "Ahhhchhuuuuuuuu!"

"Long enough to hide, at least until you have no choi-" Miss Pauling quickly pulled up a hand after tasting a bit of dirt from the air, she also squinted her eyes. Scout wasn't as quick to react, he didn't seem to mind the haze until he drew breath and started a coughing fit. 

"Wha-aa-" He paused and heaved violently, relinquishing his grip of Miss Pauling and scurrying right back out of the room while beating on his lungs.

Miss P gave Pyro a scolding look, he only returned the gaze with a curious tilt of his head. "Can we please use the table?" She asked with her voice muffled. "And no more kicking up dust we have more pressing issues to worry about."

Pyro's shoulders sagged but he nodded and sat back down like he hadn't done anything wrong.

"Can ya-" There was more loud coughs. "Give me a s-ec-kk! That is disgusting, I tasted dirt! And motor oil... I think?" There was then a long moment of silence until Scout reentered the room while wiping at his reddened eyes and holding a hand over his muzzle. "Okay, not gonna lie; but-uh this place still sucks. Great idea and all, but ya know what I mean."

Medic then marched int the room with his medical mask, much more prepared then anyone else and happy to have prepped ahead of time with the sounds of coughing echoing through the building. Heavy and Sniper followed behind, Heavy didn't seem fazed at all and Sniper pulled up his shirt to hide his nose.

"Well if isn't this ol' place? Feels like we've been away from 'ere in ages." Sniper walked over to the table and took a seat as far away from Pyro as he could, the pyromaniac waved from the other end of the table.

Engineer could finally breath a little better after the dust started to settle, he moved to the iron table and sat fright next to the arsonist who greeted him with happy muffled words.

"Intelligence please?" Seeing that most of the air had cleared, Miss Pauling let her hand down and waited for the Demolition expert to bring her a black briefcase that had been tied to his back, he pulled it off and dropped it down on the table with a careless thud for the lady to open its contents. 

Everyone moved in close to the briefcase that was labeled in white 'Top Secret' out of curiosity as she started to unlatch the fasteners, after pulling it wide open she took out a stack of papers and rummaged through them before continuing to dig. The papers that were disorganized revealed gray printed pictures of the faces of the men on their tails, all of them had numbers on the bottom corner of the photos. "Okay." Miss Pauling flipped through the photos, looking for the 'gold' of the information; all that they needed to know of what the hunters were and how they worked. "It should be in here somewhere, the government officials had to have gone over the information and collect the photos when the manhunt was first created. For protection of course, so it should be in here."

"So zhis is like some case that has records of all zhe guys on our tails?"

"Exactly Medic, or it should."

All Scout was seeing was pictures of some pretty ugly mugs; so he thought of them. One guy looked like he belonged in the Mafia with his strong jawline and half his face covered in tattoos, another looked like a ship captain and another looked like an every day middle aged normie he would see back in Boston. Ugly faces but no written papers? Part of him was actually hoping to get his mitts on some actual information to attempt to read, make his Ma proud of him for doing that at least. He knew how to read a little since Spy taught him how to but that was within the time frame of being in prison in Teufort. It took him almost half a month to convince Spy to teach him, then there small the instance where the spook taught and refreshed him a little more before his 'almost-kind-of date' with Miss P during the 'Bread' incident. 

"Pictures? That's it? I ate four bullets for dis?"

Medic couldn't contain the small laugh that escaped his lips, he chuckled then placed his hands behind his back. "Vell, to be honest, you didn't actually 'eat' zhe bullets. I pulled out one from your arm, zwo from your left shoulder and zhe last came from your hintern."

"Okay then. So I took a bullet to the rump for dis?" He corrected.

Demo and Engie snorted and turned to hide their amused faces."

"You twos got someth'n to say; chuckleheads?"

Demo turned back around and cracked a large grin. "Nah laddie, it's that yee story of gett'n da information was quite the one ta remember. Even drunk at the time, I still couldn't forget how stiff ya were afta dat mission."

Engie tried his best to lose his smile but he just couldn't. "Sorry." He apologized then pointed both of his index fingers at the runner like he was the man. "Ya did us proud though, and that's also someth'n to remember more than the bullet to the hindquarters."

Scout sighed, at least Engineer had that point though it can't fully cover up that painful and embarrassing experience. "Geeze, thanks." He responded sarcastically.

"No really. You took one for the team, could have been anyone of us if it were not for you." Demo chimed in.

"Whatever, you guy din't even go, it was only me, Spy, Heavy, and Sniper on dat mission. I was the one tasked for retrieving the case, and I did it. I was too fast for those guards to kill or capture me, one of 'em just got a lucky shot is all." He shrugged it off and pointed his thumb back at himself. "Still, I did more than what you guys did, I carried the team pretty much."

"Ah-ha!"

Miss Pauling sudden excitement had all the guys looking back at the case and their associate now poking at a hidden compartment at the bottom side of the briefcase. It was a pocket that one could barely make out if it weren't for a small locking mechanism under a strip of felt.

"What is that?" Engineer scooted closer to the case and adjusted his goggles. "Looks like some kinda lock."

"It is. I have to give credit to whoever made this case, wouldn't have found the hidden compartment if I didn't tug on this piece of felt. I just new that the info was in here, could have been easily overlooked if it weren't for the fact that I specialize in concealing top secret information." She traced her finger over the keyhole, it was one that was a little out of date and could easily be lock picked had she had the right tool; it was a shame she used her last bobby pin to help the Engineer fix the medigun a few days ago. Would have been nice and easy to get into herself. Would have the Texan do it but he didn't have the right tools and the case was mostly made with a steel alloy, plus cutting into it could damage the contents and ruin what they worked so hard to get. The information in this case was perhaps the only thing that might keep the men alive and on edge, better to know the enemy than to fight blind. "Anyone seen Spy? If there's anyone that can get into this kind of lock without a hair clip then it's him."

Everyone looked around and waited quietly but no one saw or heard the spook, he hadn't arrived yet.

Medic narrowed his eyes and tapped his chin with one hand while his other rested on his back, he paced from one end of the table towards the other with a bit of suspicion in his features. "Strange, should have been back by now. Resupply and zhe armory are not but a little valk away. Zhe infirmary and living quarters are just downstairs in zhe basement. Maybe he is still in zhe back lot? It is pretty open and spacious, much ground to cover." He stopped at the other end of the table with the rifleman close by. His eyes moved on to Sniper's and he gazed back from behind yellow tinted glasses, Medic stared as if he was making a silent request for a search. Sniper would be the second to the most stealthy of the group after all, he was also a damn good tracker.

"Gone again, figures." Scout crossed his arms with a sigh of exasperation, Heavy in the background shook his head.

Sniper pulled himself up from the table and let the cloth over his nose drop, he didn't look too happy. For some time he hasn't been, especially when he had to abandon his camper van behind many miles away in the remote wilderness; he was also exhausted of the cold and miserable with the occasional sniffles as most of the Mercs had noticed over the past few days but never said anything aloud. Sniper really just wanted to stay seated and rest his bum after ten and a half hours of walking since daylight in the cold, but his friend's long absence might mean that there's trouble afoot somewhere out there. He wasn't about to pull up the subject and concern everybody or let them get their britches in a knot and complain so he silently opted to go out there on his own. He knew what the medical merc hinted at and nodded accordingly after looking in his direction.

"Just sit 'ere and wait, I'll go see where tha bugga went to. Probably tak'n a piss or chipping ice off a shutter door out dare. Dares bloom'n ice everywhere. It's a miracle that we even got electricity." That was what he hoped at least but a gut feeling told him that it wasn't that, he hoped his gut feeling was wrong. "Be back in a minute."

"And what do we do til ya get back?" The demolition expert asked.

Sniper walked over to the corner of the room and returned with a broom in his hand, he shoved it into Demo's chest and he grabbed onto it before the top of the stick hit his chin. "You can clean this place up for starters, consider'n most the junk on tha floor is yours mate. This place is a filthy lot, it's like breath'n in dirt."

Demo looked at all the glass bottles and some broken pieces of glass and other scrapped junk. "Ey, I din't do all o' this." He countered.

"You drink more than us, I'm will'n to bet it's mostly yours. The broken boards, windows, and nails are probably from lack of maintenance, but if ya remember back from tha last time we were 'ere; you and Soldier celebrated our scheduled relocation to Sawmill with a couple of drinks. Or ratha a case and a half. Your 'celebration' later resulted in a fist fight that went outside, to the back yard, through the back door and back into this room where you both passed out after getting drunk off your arses and wreck'n the place up." Sniper countered back. "So yeah mate, ya did more than ya thought."

'It happened.'

Demoman groaned in annoyance from the voice at the back of his head, that sassy sword of his. 

...

In what was like a flash before his eyes; a memory where him and Soldier were in this very room at the table playing cards as they often did when not in combat. There was a chess board, but that game was for the lasses they both agreed although Sniper, Spy, Heavy and Medic played it all the time anyway despite said fact. 

At the time the place was lighted up and barely dusty at all, only tiny chunks of dried mud from their boots was scattered near the foot of the table, some bits were crumpled into powder but there was typically nothing more than a smear of dried mud across the floor. It had been a good non busy day on the battlefront, the day was destined to end on a great note since there was no bloodshed nor scolding from the Administrator. 

They were playing a simple card game of 'War', Soldier's favorite since it's a game based mostly on the luck of the draw with the higher card; Demo had opted for his favorite game 'Rummy' since he would be more likely to win with the headstrong troop making quick and brash decisions, but Soldier wasn't having it. He was on a lucky winning streak for the first time in a while so Demo decided to let him enjoy himself since the man was having such a great time, playing any non-luck of the draw based games would almost always end with Soldier putting himself out. He could take a few losses for his comrade.

They were just about to begin another game of War when Scout came running through the door with a grin from ear to ear. "Guys, we're gett'n outta here! We're go'n to the Sawmill, Administrator's orders. South east from here and not too far away; but defiantly warmer and closer to civilization! At the rate we mov'n might be closer to returning to Teufort!"

Soldier stood up from the table and walked over to grab Scout by the collar of his shirt and shake the poor pencil-stick of a Merc, his expression a bit desperate. Scout lost his hype and shuddered with widened eyes and flinching at every word. "You better not be lying son or I will drag you out back behind this building and force you to dig us a new latrine, ... with a spoon." He finished on a less threatening note and pulls up a spoon from practically out of nowhere; his voice might have become lighter but the threat was definitely there and the guy would surely make him if he wanted.

"Calm down Solly, it's true." He pointed his thumb back towards the doorway. "Just got word from Snipes, we're gett'n out of dis cold and moving south."

Soldier dropped Scout and guy quickly stood back up and dusted himself off.

"Aye, we finally gett'n out of here? About time!" Demo stood up from the table. "Tired of freeze'n anyway; this place is 'bout as bad as Coldfront."

"Yeah." Scout agreed carefully. "Calls for a celebration."

"Yeah!" Soldier agreed more loudly and pounded his fist on the table. Scout backed a way slowly.

"Well, I will be celebrate'n somewhere warmer; it's too damn cold in here." He said and swiftly walked back out the door.

"It is a little chilly." Demo pointed out with inquiry, but his expression brightened when he thought of a great idea. "But I know someth'n that will warm us right up and be prefect for such an occasion." The demolition expert left the room and returned with a whole box filled with aged beer, he pulled one from the box and tossed it to Soldier who barely lost his grip on the drink but managed to keep in it in his grasp. He smiled and watched as Demo popped the cork off his first glass and raised it into the air close to his friend and comrade in arms. "Cheers Sold'a, tu a great day and for leav'n this awful place."

Soldier bit down on the cork of his bottle and ripped it out with his teeth before spitting it to the floor and raising his glass. "Cheers, to what you said and for America!" 

They clinked the glasses and downed the bottles, from there it became much of a blur.

One drink after another, a small contest between the two with no official winner.

Tavish remembered something about getting drunk and singing several slurred songs with his comrade, he also remembered trying to play cards again but there wasn't much fun to be had the second go around. They played a game of War again he thinks, and then a game of Rummy; he thought that he won that game but wasn't sure. All he knew was that somewhere during fun time an argument broke out, then getting tackled. He also faintly remembered shattering a bottle over Soldier's helmet and putting him into a choke hold before a fist planted his face.

From there the fight had them getting smacked into walls, flipping over the table and benches before breaking down the door with his head after being thrown into it. The fight was taken out into the back yard, Demo was sure that was there was a long and cold scuffle along with harsh words of nonsense shared between the two. He also thought he heard Spy shouting at them but not even attempting to intervene.

Somewhere after beating each other back into the fort, there was a laughing fit spurred from nothing but a mere accident; he burst out laughing when Solider attempt to charge at him resulted in him stepping on a glass bottle and tripped backwards like a classic cartoon 'slip on a banana peel' gag. The man fell to the floor with a loud crash and that's when the two laughed at the absurdity of nothing but the fact that Soldier was drunk off his ass. Literally.

...

The last thing he remembered was sobering up on the floor of this room and apologizing to Soldier though he was still sort of 'out-of-it'. That was some time ago.

No Soldier isn't allowed more than one bottle for any occasion, the proud American agreed as to not 'accidentally kill' his comrades. Speaking of said comrade, like Spy; he was nowhere to be found either. "Aggghhh. By me'self?" Tavish garbled, did he really have to clean up this mess by himself? "We wrecked the place together."

"Thought you would remember. Was a great day indeed." Sniper lightly patted the guy on the back then headed to the door. "Now, back before you know it." He exited the room.

"Great." Demo exhaled loudly.

"This place would probably be more tolerable if we clean it up, it's still drafty in here and dusty as the base in Dustbowl; but livable." Miss Pauling turned towards the Engineer after looking out a busted window, the sun was on the verge of setting. "Engie, while he's out there getting Spy can you please get the power back up and get the lights on? It's going to get dark soon."

Engie stood up and nodded with a smile and a tip from his hardhat. "I'm on it ma'm." Then took off towards the West wing of the building.

Sniper walked off to the back exit as nonchalantly as possible but not moving too slow, concern was growing the longer they went without any sign of Spy. The guy usually did things in a discreet and quick fashion unless there was an issue, he braced himself for the worst and stepped back into the cold. 

"Damn it all." He cursed to himself after getting back into the frosty evening air, it was easier to breathe and crisp 'n clear in freshness but after warming up just enough to feel his limbs he was reacquainted with the bitter cold nipping at his uncovered arms and the back of his neck. The chill crept over his cheeks and nose and made his ears tingle once more. Hated the feeling. He missed the desert in Arizona, it was way warmer and he had become very accustomed to the heat. It's a shame their bases in that desert are now swarmed with police should they ever return, they had to abandon any hope of ever going back and leaving behind a great place with so many memories. If the alpine region they were in had a roadway up to this fort then he would have just drove his camper van here and have a nice heated place to sleep in instead of huddling around a small fire for four or so hours while sleeping on a log and taking shifts to watch out for the bounty hunters.

The last three nights were very unpleasant and long, at least now they wouldn't have to sleep outside; there was probably going to be look out shifts though.

Sniper's gaze moved from the building to building around the backyard, each and every crevice was quickly and thoroughly searched for anything out of the ordinary or any slight movement. If there was anything he could do better than anyone else of the Mercs other than snipe off intruders; then it was him spotting targets with his sharp eyesight. Now spotting Spy would be a more challenging task should the man have cloaked; the guy might be able to become nearly invisible but the cloaking device cannot bend and warp light completely while moving. Sniper knows that when invisible and moving, even a fraction of a millimeter would make the cloaking bend and warp subtly out of shape and thus giving Spy a fluid like shape until he comes to a complete stop.

Or better yet while they are in a snow-zone... Sniper moved his gaze to the ground and scanned the place for any footprints or disruptions of the white blanket, it wasn't long before he spotted a trail. The Aussie walked over to the trail and bent down into a crouch to get a better look at it, the shoe print was thin and small; just like Spy's feet. He traced a finger through the heel of the print and noticed that it been the same shape as Spy's shoes. It was obviously Spy's prints from what he gathered but a little confirmation never did any harm. 

The lanky man stood back up then slowly followed the trail, they lead towards one of the few useless buildings at the back of the lot; Sniper only ever used them a few times as a lookout tower and snipers nest but generally for nothing more. He did however; know that Spy would retreat to one of these places for some peace and quiet should the men break out in an argument, or just to be alone and stare at the photo of him and the woman he loved holding hands.

He did that often. Still does when he's alone, or when things he is anyway.

The trail unfortunately went right around the corner of a building to a cluster of them, there were many places to be ambushed if he went in there alone, but Sniper knew he wasn't going to turn back now. He took several more steps towards the bend and something in the snow caught his eye and sent chills down his spine. He stopped in his tracks and blinked.

There were a few droplets of blood in a large pile of kicked up snow, fresh blood that was starting to freeze to the surface of the frozen flakes, a few feet head of that was virtually a small splatter about the size of his palm with more droplets leading away from it. The blood was more fresh, like someone had stood there and bled out some before moving again. It was a sign of an attack. The splatter he was all too familiar with considering that when injured and standing around it would pull. The multiple footprints and the disrupted track also put him into alarm.

This did not look good, Spy could be either injured or dying around the next corner; there was no time to waste but he can't simply rush in either. As much as he wanted to get around the next bend and find out where Spy and the attacker was, it was smart to take things slow from this point. There hadn't been the sound of a gunshot so Sniper assumed that whatever caused Spy to bleed was a flying projectile, coming to this conclusion had the rifleman turning around to find a throwing knife nearly twenty feet away and barely sticking out of the snow at an angle.

It wasn't one of Spy's.

He narrowed his eyes and silently reached down to his side to pull his machete from its sheath, he brought the weapon up to his chest and held it closes as he started forward carefully. There was no place to hide and scope out with his rifle, not from the ground level with all the tall buildings so he was going to have to proceed with caution and prepare for a ground assault. 

He stealthily walked around a small shed and peeked over the corner ever so slightly before glancing in the opposite direction, there was no sign of movement nor anyone in sight. Carefully he tiptoed past the shed and over to another building, after finding nothing yet again he proceeded forward once more and stopped once he rounded another corner; there was still fresh tracks and droplets of blood beneath his feet. The trail once again lead to another bend where he dreaded the worst. He placed his empty hand on the wall and poked his head around just enough to get a glimpse of what was ahead with his right eye. As soon as his gaze cleared the corner he felt a gloved hand move over his mouth and someone quickly pulls back around the bend and into a strong grapple with him facing away from the attacker.

Sniper immediately tried to wing his large knife at his captor but a swift smack at the back of his palm made him lose his grip and dropped it.

"Quiet, we are not alone Mon amie."

That voice. Sniper's eyes widened.

"Spy?!" He shouted into the gloved hand, the grip loosened so that he could free himself and turn around. Sniper blinked when he saw Spy, the man looked fine although his left forearm was bleeding and staining through the brown suit. "Whaddya doing ya bloody wanker!?" He shouted in a whisper. 

"Shhh." Spy whispered with narrowed eyes and a finger to his lips.

"Ya scared the 'eva lov'n shit outta me!"

Spy rolled his eyes. "You'll have to forgive me for that later, but for now we have some unwanted guests."

Sniper positioned his hat on his head and put his back to the wall next to Spy. "The Bounty men? Already?! Got'ta be kidd'n me! We just got 'ere mate."

"I know." He replied and peeked back around the bend.

"How many?"

"As far as I know, only one; I didn't get a good look at them but i suspect that they are one of the hunters. If they are skilled enough to wield a knife and can cut me with it then they have to very good with knives in general. There's no telling if there are others as of yet, but the hunter that got me knows we're here; there will be no telling when more will arrive."

"Should we leave then?"

Spy took a long minute to think and finally huffed. "No, this is still the best place to defend and the climate will deter many. If we are fortunate enough, we'll get a snowstorm and hope it wipes out whoever attempts to traverse this mountainous region."

Sniper narrowed his eyes, what the man said was truly ridiculous for someone as smart and slick as Spy. "Oi! Spy, that doesn't sound much like a plan, noth'n like any of yours anyways. What's da real plan mate?" He raised a brow when Spy scowled and refused to answer. Something wasn't right and he could tell his comrade was distraught, he decided it was best to wait.

Spy couldn't see anyone from around the bend and there hadn't been movement since his attacker hopped the cross wired fence and disappeared behind one of the two large silos outside of the property. It had been two long minutes now, Sniper's presence might have had a part in the interloper fleeing the area; that was actually a relief. He assumed the bounty men got away, it certainly wouldn't be the last encounter with this one as skilled as he was. The attacker though hidden under winter clothing and goggles had saw through his cloaking somehow and threw a knife that would have easily had killed him had he not the use his quick reflexes.

The Frenchmen coiled his fists, there was something about that bounty hunter that had him on edge, something familiar that left a nuisance of a thought that began to plague him. For one so bold to attack them as soon as they arrive, to ambush an alone person in a place like this where there are multiple buildings to hide in and away from the main base and his comrades. Cries for help would have gone unheard. The tactic was a smart one and a rewarding gamble that might have resulted in a prize for one lucky hunter, it was too close of a call.

But...

To see through his cloak and land an attack without any special gear, it was hardly believable for any hunter; even ones of distinguished profession. The way the knife was thrown; swift and true to the aim, had to be an expert at daggers and blades. A lethal force worthy of someone like him. He didn't even notice the intruder's presence, a master of stealth as well. Spy would know the perfect form of a knife thrown and he saw it with his own eyes, not just now but once before long ago during his secretive training in France, decades in his past.

They not only had a skilled hunter on their heels, but they were also being hunted by a spy.

...


	3. The Unfortunate Spy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are definitely going to progress from this point, hope you like and it's just not Spy's day. Things get serious, still expect some humor though; wouldn't be Tf2 if there was none.

...

"It's as I've said, nobody can know."

"Hold it!" Sniper and Spy stopped in their tracks just outside of the back entrance of the main fort, Spy had stopped on command and turned around to see the distraught rifleman.

"I said i would explain it later." He said lowly to himself and rolled his eyes, Sniper was of course tensed but there really not much time to explain the plan; they were short on time to prep for battle and yet his comrade was going to keep him. He understood why, but how hard could it be to ask questions later?

"You gotta be off ya rocka mate! Whaddya mean we ain't tell'n anybody?! There's a hunta out dare and we go jus' forget they even attacked you?!"

Spy lit a cigarette and deeply inhaled the smoke, he shortly let the puff out and turned around to face the distressed man and pocketed the lighter. "Mundy, as foolish as it sounds to keep the attack a secret; it's ultimately for the best... at least for now anyway. You may find it hard to understand why, but please; take my word for it. Neither you and I nor the others are prepared for what is soon to come, planting the seeds of fear, anxiety, concern, and hopelessness is the exact opposite of what we need right now. As much as it pains me to hide this certain truth, morale musn't fall nor waiver at our weakest moment."

"What, so we jus' gonna lie about everything?"

Spy turned his back and took another puff. "Not nessissarily lie, but rather; keep to ourselves if you will. Pretend as if this attack had never happened at all, it's fairly easy but it will not help you rest at night; I know that for a fact since I have done it before myself. That part will not be easy, not for us that already know."

"Then what do you reckon we do then? We can't jus' simply ignore someone or a bloody handful of them wankers ready to burst through the door and attack, it's nonsense." He sneered. "There's a bloody fortune on our heads, even one Merc is worth his weight 'n gold, we can't risk this by obscuring the attack jus' cause you think it's best. Now tell me Spy, what we are really go'n to do?"

"Stay on edge and keep quiet, there's not much reasoning that i can give you from what I've already shared. I know what is at stake and what to be ready for, this much i can assure you. I know the risks. These men coming for us, i have already seen the profiles; even before handing Miss Pauling the case. Should have waited for the information but I couldn't resist, not with the possibility of running into some old colleagues of mine." There was another breath of smoke, a long pause. "It's as I've feared; we're going up against many experts from across the world, some of which even concern me."

"You know them?" Sniper gaped.

"Only two for certain, but yes; they both came from the same underground spy and assassin organization that i did in France. It's been nearly twenty-one years ago and they were at the top of their class then; there's no telling how good they will be now." He pulled his cigarette from his mouth. "There may be a few dozen people out there just trying to make a quick buck; they'll be pushovers, like the ones we killed last week. However, the professional ones lie and wait slowly to make the kill. They are the ones we need to keep an eye out for and also the ones we need to strike first, failing to rid them swiftly could propose a more... grueling challenge later on. They are not the ones to repeat mistakes, the same might be said for the other official hunters listed in the case."

"So we're go'n up against top-notched killers and the best we can do is ta stay put and hope for tha best?" Sniper swayed his head back and forth in disapproval, this was not like Spy at all. It was like the guy he was speaking to wasn't Spy, and he was beginning to wonder. "Wouldn't we 'ave a betta chance somewhere else? Cause as far as I know, hunker'n down in an unstable wooden fort, go'n with minimal supplies, and rely'n on tha weatha is the worst case scenario mate. Sounds like ya try'n to get us killed, makes me wonda if you're even the real Spy of our team. In fact-" Sniper quickly pulled his sub machine gun from his side strap, his finger ready to squeeze the trigger.

The cigarette fell to the snow and a foot came down on it, one of his hands went into his pocket and searched the creases of his Dead Ringer. "I wasn't going to tell you or anyone else, but now I have no choice." Spy reached into his suit and whipped out his revolver and aimed it at the man before him, he was surprised that Sniper hadn't pulled the trigger yet; he was expecting it and was ready to counter the attack if it were to happen. The precision eliminations expert was rather hesitant to his surprise, he was actually thankful that there was still a sliver of trust still between them despite paranoia and false speculation.

He couldn't blame the man.

Sniper ground his teeth, he wasn't sure if who he was talking to was really his comrade or some impostor; this spy was making no sense and relying on luck rather than making evasive maneuvers like they had before in the past. Besides, the guy was hardly ever afraid of anyone and came up with quick ideas to outsmart his opponents; someone rather intimidating despite his thin stature, now he sounded like a paranoid coward. Spy was different and he didn't like it. "Fine, if you really are Spy then tell me what you 'ave to say then. No tricks or I'll fill your head with lead."

"You want to know why we are really out here, why we are not going anywhere despite having little to no resources, clothing, medical supplies, or food? Why we defend this rundown base on the top of a mountain instead of hiding somewhere else that is more fortified and better suited to fit our needs?" He asked, Mundy only narrowed his eyes more, trigger finger ready. "I can understand why you'd speculate that my reasoning is suspicious and abnormal, but trust me; I am not lying to you. I cannot yet prove it, but you'll have to trust me."

"On with it." The rifleman prodded threateningly.

Spy exhaled softly and placed the revolver back into his crabbmarché jacket, he was still prepared and hoped that Sniper wouldn't be provoked to shoot. Though he doubted the possibility at this point given his observation of Mundy's body language and facial expressions, the man wasn't completely ignoring his words, just a little unfamiliar with Spy's shift in attitude. It would be rather suspicious.

"Ya gonna stand dere or what?"

Why did it have to come to this? Spy wondered, then broke his silence. "Mundy, this place will be our last stand; they know where we are and they have always known. Both Miss Pauling and I have known this information since we were all pushed out from the Badlands. There's nowhere left to go, nowhere else to hide. We were lucky enough to get here with everyone intact."

Sniper gaped and lowered his sub machine gun with a confused expression. "Wot? Whaddya mean 'last stand'?"

"It means that our outlook is bleak, even from my perspective. Miss Pauling told me not to tell anyone and i strongly agreed, we both knew that it would come to this but wanted to keep it secret for the sake of morale and blissful ignorance. It's why she's our only hope left, why she'll take her leave and hopefully get us our freedom before it's too late. All we have to do is hold out long enough, it's our only option and even that plan is not guaranteed."

"Oi! Ya mean to tell me that we ani't go no chance? Our skills and abilities?" Sniper defended.

Spy shook his head. "As much talent and strengths we possess, non, it'll not be enough to handle full frontal assaults day after day. With the bounty hunters coming and little ammo and supplies, it won't take long before we either attempt to run and possibly die with a bullet to the back, or go down wielding only what we can carry in our hands. Or, hunker down deep within the fort and go down fighting. I fear it may just come down to that."

Mundy couldn't believe what he was hearing, Spy telling him that they had nowhere to go, little ammo in the reserves, and having to fight it out until they 'might' get their freedom? His face paled some, it was no wonder why they slept little and traveled on foot for days to get to the remote location; leaving everything behind and freezing their bums off for one attack/defend mission in a place that was never built with the fortifications to defend. With little ammo and any supplies for that matter, it did seem like a sudden death round. 

And no one knew this dreadful news but Miss P, Spy, and now him. Now he wished he didn't know, would have been better off none the wiser. Damn. He was about to speak until Spy continued.

"Our 'last stand', literally speaking; is here. Some of us may even die before she clears our names, but there's no other choice. The one who slandered our names and falsified our reputations seems to always be one step ahead, we have absolutely zero leads of this criminal. We speculate that they have someone feeding our location and condition to the hunters, they must have shared all fort locations and supply drop zones."

"Which means...?"

"We very well may have a traitor in our midst."

Sniper blinked then narrowed his eyes and pointed at himself when Spy's eyes remained fixed on him. "Well don't look at me! I'm not out 'ere for a suicidal mission. I damn well don't wanna be in this weatha; especially with no clothes for tha cold!"

"I know that it is not you amiee, if there's anyone that i can trust then it'd be you."

The rifleman lightened his expression. "Really?"

The spy nodded. "Of course. You are rather easy to read and have yet to show any signs of abnormal behavior lately. Just sharing this information clears you, but so does the fact that you defended yourself when you thought i wasn't a Merc. I also trust Miss Pauling as she is the one to share the information with me in the first place, Scout is easily trusted because he is too naive and attached to us for betrayal."

"He's also your son." Sniper pointed out.

Spy rolled his eyes. "Well I suppose that is a reason too, though it's obvious. But yes, I can trust him. The Medic, I am unsure of; he's been shady before and was even hired onto the TFC Mercs before, though he ended up back on our side. He's also been saving our lives and tending our wounds. It's difficult to decide whether he is the traitor or not but without his expertise we would be dead now."

"Whadda 'bout Pyro, or Heavy?"

"Pyro, a mystery surrounds him; it'll be hard to tell but nonetheless i will keep an eye on him. Heavy, he knows a lot of things and has even figured out about me and Scout's relation by only seeing me without my mask once; and it was a brief glance too. So watch out for him as well as Medic. Demoman and Engie, they are not suspect as of yet, the engineer has ways of communication but has yet to show any ill intention of any sort. Keep an eye out for him. Soldier is also naive and frankly too loyal to our cause, Zhanna; would pretty much fall into the same category as Heavy since they are siblings, though she isn't quite as smart."

"All that leaves is us and I know I'm not plan'n ta back stab people."

"Like I said, it is not yet confirmed that we have a traitor, but the possibilities are there. Remain vigilant and observe closely, at least until someone acts out of place. If they do, notify me at once."

"Fair enough." Sniper agreed with a nod. "Still, this is jus' unsettle'n. We gonna need all the ammo we can get and at least try to fortify the place; maybe 'ave Engineer put up some sentries and block off some of dese extra rooms. Maybe I could ev'n set a few traps, I used ta traps a few animals 'ere and dere so I'll jus' have ta make em betta and big enough."

"Do what you must and get everyone on board with building defenses, in the meantime when the meeting is over I'll head over to the BLU end of this property and see if I can find spare supplies and ammo. I will also see if we have unwanted company taking residence nearby."

"And if dere is?"

"If it is in my power I will handle them myself. If not then we'll see what course of action we can take at that time. For now though, we are late."

"Oh, roight." Sniper agreed and they headed back into the base. "Must think we got lost or someth'n."

...

"There, all don!"

"Uh Demo, all you did was sweep the crap up into one pile; it's still considered a mess if it's in here." Scout commented as Tavish placed the broom back into the corner which was where the garbage pile was swept to.

"Ah, good enough lad."

Engineer shook his head. "The mess is still their partner."

"At least it not in way now." Heavy chided. "Still eyesore."

"Yeah an eyesore like the lazy scrumpy himself." Scout finished with a grin.

"Gentlemen, I see that all of you have been busy." Spy sarcastically spoke up and caught the attention of the room at the door, all eyes turned on to him. Miss Pauling rose from the bench. "Sniper told me that you needed some assistance."

The woman nodded. "Yes. The briefcase has an old style lock but I'm out of bobby pins and self made lock picks, so if you'd get that then we can finally get started. Also, find anything out there?"

"Looks like the place is crystal clear, although the armory has been raided; but there's so much dust and none of it was stirred so it's been awhile since someone has poked their nose in this place." Spy walked further into the room from the opposite end of the entry way, he made his way up to the table and squeezed between Heavy and Demo to see what information they had on the hunters. "So what do we have here? Cheap hires or the best of the best? The people who attacked us a few days ago were not like the ones from last week. Those men were pushovers, but the new bounty hunters are skilled and a force to be reckoned with. Men, remember this." He leaned over and poked the case. "Those listed here in this top-secret case are in this case because their identity and tactics were preserved for the use of governmental officials and wealthy employers. This information contains their very skill sets and proffered weaponry as well as some basic information of who they are and how they operate." He finished with a stern gaze traveling over each and every Merc.

"That's absolutely right Spy, if it wasn't for one of the hunters we captured and tortured then we wouldn't have all of this information; a list of the best hunters from around the world and info on who sent them."

"Is there a case with our names in it?" Sniper asked out of curiosity.

"Yes, but there's no telling where that's at." Miss P laughed nervously.

"I retrieved dat case right dere."

"Yes Scout, we are well aware." Said an unamused spy.

Medic was probably the first one to notice the red splotch seeping through fabric of the tailored suit and trailing down Spy's arm. He quietly moved closer to inspect and curiously grabbed the man's arm as he was about to take the briefcase. Spy held his yelp and swallowed down the pain before pulling his limb from the doctor's grasp. "Um, Spy did you happen to notice zhat you are bleeding?"

"Yes, while scanning the area I slipped on some ice; I had my knife ready in the event that there were any hunters around. Dropped it when i fell; I nicked myself, nothing too alarming nor cause of concern though you may look at it later" He finished blankly, trying to avoid the conversation about it but Medic just had to pull up the injury. Of course!

Sniper frowned deeply and crossed his arms. "Yeah, saw it meself. Clumsy bugga he is." He played along despite the fact that he was against keeping everything quiet like nothing was wrong when there was everything wrong about ignoring the intruder that wounded the spy.

Scout snickered to himself, breaking the room's sudden silence. "Wait, ya mean ta tell me dat you slipped on ice and cut ya self?" He snickered again.

Spy exhaled and closed his eyes for a long second while messaging his temples, he was ready to take whatever the runner had to say. "And just what is so funny about hurting myself Scout?"

His grin did not falter. "Um geeze, I dunno, you hav'n a slip up on a patch of ice maybe? The great stealth master and assassin defeated by a little bit of froze'n water?" He pinched his fingers close together to show the amount. " It's so ridiculous cause it's so unheard of, a thin layer of ice bringing down 'the' spy." He started to laugh. "I knew ya had a weakness spook, but i did'n expect it to be such a 'trip'." He elbowed Heavy. "Now dere's a knee-slapper!"

"Yes, a nice wisecrack that was. Laugh it up so that we may get on with this meeting." Scout kept laughing though no one else found it funny, he seemed to be making a fool of himself but didn't see that he was the odd one out. The runner wiped a tear from his eye and lowered his laugh to a smaller chuckle. "If you are done, we shall resume."

"Yeah sure." Scout finished with a smile and straightened his posture. "I'm good, it was a nice story dere; haven't laughed in a while. Thanks."

Spy knew that Scout wasn't going to let him live that one down, but he figured he'd let the boy have it since they were running out of time and could die within the next two weeks or so. Maybe sooner. Let him laugh while he could anyways. "Good. You can torture my reputation later." Spy replied and looked down where the keyhole was; right under the strip he cut out, Miss Pauling didn't suspect him of opening before giving it to her so that was a good thing at least. He reached into his pocket to take out his butterfly knife, he whipped the blade open and took the sharp tip to the keyhole and drove it inward until he was deep enough, he then twisted the blade and the compartment popped open. "Voila!" His fingers wrapped around the sheets for a second time and he handed them off to Miss Pauling with a smile. "I do believe these are what you were looking for?"

"Ah yes." She took the papers and looked around the room, everyone had eyes on her. "I'm not too sure where to start, but i guess we'll go with the names corresponding to the numbers on the pictures." She blinked when she looked back towards the men. "Wait a sec, where's Soldier and Zhanna?"

...

"This is bunker?"

"Affirmative!" Soldier sounded off with a salute. He then put his hands behind his back and paced around the area in a march-like fashion. 

"This where you lived? Looks better than my barn house." Zhanna laughed and put her hands on her hips.

"Why thank you." He said with a brief smile and moved throughout the room, eventually coming to his bed. "Ya see, this is the belly of the bunker; my cot." The man pointed to a small metal framed bed in the corner of the room, eyes hidden by his helmet but his frown firm. "It's small, five feet by four feet in diameter, greenish-brown, originally green, and the most uncomfortable thing you can imagine to lay on. It's even a bit rusty on the legs as you can see, and the mattress has springs ripping right through it. BUT! It's also like home, and there isn't no place like home; except America."

"You sleep here?" Zhanna moved closer to the bed and inspected it. "It is old."

"That's correct! I've had this bed for years and while everyone had theirs replaced every two weeks, I'd never abandoned mine. It was issued to me when were first stationed here, it was one of the few things that i actually owned other than my shotgun, my rocket launcher, my shovel, and the clothes on my back. It's a little creaky and the leather straps holding it up are frail, but it was mine and that is what mattered. There's not many things to own when you are involved in a war, leaving behind this bed was one of the most difficult things that i had to do. Those were dark times indeed."

...

"Ah who cares where they are, we'll fill him in later." Engie waved the matter off.

"Yea, probably off look'n for ammo or mak'n out." Scout agreed.

"Alright then." Miss Pauling cleared her throat and placed the first printed picture down on the center of the table, it was a picture of a male, around his late twenties, looked like an average joe. Light brown hair, clean shaven face, light blue or green eyes, couldn't tell with the pics being gray scaled. "This man here is named Joseph, Twenty-two years old, high school graduate, attempted college and majoring chemistry but was a dropout, hails from Mississippi. Says here to not let his calm and friendly appearance deceive you, otherwise you might be missing a limb." Miss Pauling looked up from the sheet, slightly baffled.

"Aye, what kinda laddie is this?" Tavish questioned.

"He's a wackjob that has a fetish with dynamite, C4, and vials of nitroglycerin."

"Dat sounds like trouble." Scout commented.

"It gets worse, apparently he accidentally blew up half his house and his younger sibling a few years ago and was trialed for the murder of his brother. There was not enough evidence to convict him so he was let out of prison, from there he couldn't find a stable job so he joined a bomb squad for half a year and abruptly left them after getting in some training. Then became a bounty hunter that takes some pretty risky jobs for good pay."

"Eh, no young lad need ta play with explosives; too dangerous."

"Well it says he knows how to specialize in constructing explosives, handling explosives, and defusing bombs."

"Tch, vould have made enough money just disarming bombs." Heavy rolled his eyes.

"His primary weapon is dual sub machine guns, secondary weapon are sticks of dynamite that need a little time to detonate. Sometimes he prefers C4 packages that can be stuck to just about anything or nitroglycerin filled viles that explode on contact, and last but not least; hidden landmines. Great. Don't forget to say hi to the Bomber class while you are out there."

Miss P then placed another photo down.

"Is that a cowboy?" Scout pointed and questioned as he studied the old geezer with frosted hair, a cowboy hat, and a matching mustache.

"They call him Buck-eye Bill, sixty-eight years old, a rich cattle rancher in Montana, also an inventor. Impressive. Says he was once a sheriff of his hometown, but a shot to the knee knocked him out of his job nearly thirty years ago. After nearly losing his ability to run he started to get into mechanics and even became a mechanic before finally retiring and building his own machines. He's had over twelve inventions patented and is now pretty damn wealthy."  
"Looks like a northerner." Engie scoffed.

"His hobbies include hunting, ranching, creating, and bringing down criminals to dis out justice. How nice, a sheriff at heart. He became a bounty hunter for the sole purpose of delivering justice to criminals. Must be the real deal."

"Wait." Sniper interrupted. "If he lost his job to a bad knee then why his he a bounty hunta?"

The woman scanned the paper again. "I don't know, doesn't say. He's an inventor though and has created armed drones, doesn't sound too good for us."

"I'd like ta see if his little drone can match my sentry." Engie muttered, clearly not impressed.

"Primary weapon is a double barrel shotgun, so old school." She added. "Secondary is dual pistols. Then there's his air drones along with a mini fold-out fort much like an enclosed shield for two and a specialized drone that is not armed and cannot go far from it's load out station, but collects ammo from bodies nearby and can heal. It's also very convenient without a field medic."

"Very convenient indeed." Medic agreed with a grin. "The Inventor class ja?"

"Whoa, now this one I know spells trouble." Miss Pauling set the other picture aside and moved one in the line of everyone'e vision. Pyro tilted his head as he studied the guy with a gas mask. "This here is Dax, direct location is unknown; blonde hair, brown eyes, nothing else on him. All it says is that he is from Canada and specializes in pest extermination but also takes up the bounty hunting job for extra pay on the side. Has been known to kill his targets with intoxication and suffocation." She winced. "Not good."

"At least Pyro wouldn't have too much trouble taking them on." Spy pointed out.

"Not too sure about that, only one of the three gasses he uses is flammable, the other chokes out fire and rids the surrounding air of oxygen which caused suffocation, the other is an obscuring cloud that might be hard to see through. The last one is flammable but it's also hazardous and can poison you if you breathe enough of it in. So be very careful around this one. The Exterminator or Gasser class. Watch out for the burst assault rifle and his shock stick."

"Whose dat?" Scout voluntarily picked up the next photo a placed it down, it was of a man facing away from the camera; completely hiding his face. His short hair was jet black but frosted along the tips, a small tattoo of Spain's flag stuck to his skin with the writing: Plus ultra, in small letters.

"I don't know." She flipped through the sheets but found that his number was not entered on information sheets. "Strange, he's not even written on the list."

Spy narrowed his eyes, he knew this one; a spy college of his from long ago. There was no doubt in his mind that it was him, the one that attacked him a short while ago. The words on the hunter's neck read Latin for 'further beyond'. Once a superior of his. No one need to know though, he was going to find and kill that man before he ever entered the premises. 

He had to.

Miss P flipped through the papers again but couldn't find anything that matched the number. "I guess we'll just skip him for now. Next up-"

A ringing gunshot tore everyone's attention away from the table and towards the doorway. It was a single shot, like the sound of a sniper rifle.

"Is Soldier outside?" Miss Pauling asked, her expression full of worry.

"I thought you said you searched the place?" Engie pulled himself from the table and ran over to the next room to fetch his shotgun and sentry kit.

"No time for dat, we gotta see what's go'n on!" Scout was the first to run outside, Demo tried to grab him before he bolted out the back door.  
"Aye the lad's a fast one."

Spy groaned at Scout's reckless choice and quickly turned to face the mercenaries. "Everyone arm up, we got company! Demoman, Engineer, Sniper, you guys come with me. Pyro, Heavy, check the front of the base. Medic stay in here and wait until you are called, you may also hang by the exits and look for hunters but try to stay out of their shooting range." The Medic nodded. The rest of the men all headed towards resupply in a rush while Engie returned first and headed straight out the back entrance with his sentry kit. "Miss Pauling, please go down stairs to the bunkhouse and wait, if you see Soldier or Zhanna, keep the woman with you and send Soldier to the front."

"Got it." The woman in purple quickly gathered the intel back into the case and shut it before pulling the latches down and rushing for the stairs.

"If you must, hide the Intel, not sure if that is what whoever is attacking us is after but we cannot afford to lose it just yet." He hoped she heard him, she might not be a fighter but she was pretty quick on her high heels.

All of the men returned from resupply, armed and ready. Heavy and Pyro branched off and headed towards the front with Medic in tow, the rest of the men set off to the back door. Spy cloaked himself and moved out first, he went down the ramp to see Scout in the open holding his pistol and looking around cautiously.

Scout's gaze moved between all the buildings swiftly, searching for any sign of movement. There was nothing out of the ordinary yet but he was hesitant to move onward, at least by himself. There was too many vacant sheds and buildings, too many turns that you wouldn't be able to see around unless you actually go around them. Easy place for an ambush, made him feel uneasy. In fact, the adrenaline rush he had kept him warm, he wasn't even bothered by the cold now. "Alright ya intrude'n bastard, where are ya?" He whispered to himself and moved his pistol along with his gaze.

The runner immediately yelped when something grasped his shoulder, he quickly turned and attempted to shoot whatever the damn thing was that decided to touch him. His quick reflexes couldn't help it.

A pistol plopped down into the snow, and Scout blinked and backed away a bit. He squinted his eyes. "Spy is dat you?"

The man uncloaked, his expression nothing short of 'you imbecile!'; a familiar rage face. "You cannot just run out here in the open Scout, you're going to get yourself killed you fool!" He shouted in a whisper.

Scout's own expression fell into a 'here we go again' one. "We're under attack dumbass, of course I'm gonna run out here, it's not like they can get me ya know. I'm too fast for them." He countered.

"That doesn't mean they can't get you, you maybe fast but you cannot outrun a bullet." Spy retorted.

"Is everything alright here?" Engie dropped his box and armed himself with his shotgun.

"Yeah, already looked around; didn't see anything." Scout replied, trying to ignore Spy's fumes.

"Is there anyone even out here?" Demo came trotting from behind and stopped between Scout and Spy who looked to be ready for an argument.

"I checked, everything seems fine; the shot must have come from up ahead."

"It didn't come from the front." Sniper corrected as he joined the group.

Scout shrugged. "And how exactly would you know?"

"I'm a sniper ya pipsqueak, i know tha sounds of a rifle betta than anyone else, also know tha direction of fire depend'n on the frequency. The shot was one close to dis building." His eyes darted over to Spy who returned the gaze, it had to be the guy that attacked Spy earlier. He walked over to the side and gestured Spy to follow while Engie Demo, and Scout continued talking.

"Is it dem?"

Spy shook his head. "As much as I would like to think so; I fear it is not but rather an assist or comrade of theirs."

Sniper briefly threw his arms up and paced a few steps away before returning with a distressed expression. "Dat's bloom'n great, we ain't seen noth'n out 'ere yet. Well I mean you 'ave, but that was at least fifteen or so minutes ago and now ya say'n there's more? Please don't tell me they are already here Spy." Sniper asked more desperately, his eyes demanding an answer. "We've don noth'n to prepare, we arn't even settled in yet. Miss P hasn't even left the building!"

Spy put his hands up in front of him as if to communicate to the sniper that he should calm down. "Shhh, I know." He whispered. "But we cannot let a random gunshot deter us from staying focused, we will split into two groups; you take the left side of the property with Demo and I'll take Scout and head right. We'll leave Engie to guard the door. Search through all the rooms in the buildings and remain quiet, don't hesitate to kill these hunters."

"I'm not so sure splitt'n up is the right idea, we don even know how many of those wankers are out here; probably more than two."

"It is likely but-" Spy blinked when something red flashed over his eye, he shook his head and blinked again while slowly feeling panic building underneath his rock solid calm facade that was now starting to falter and melt into fear. They were in the sights of a sniper and there was little time to react. His eyes darted for the red speck and saw a small red dot move across Scout's upper torso and settle in the dead center of his chest; the young runner was too busy chit-chatting away with Demo and Engie to even notice, they didn't seem to notice either. Were they all blind?!

"Spy, there's a-"

"I know! No time!" He whispered back and nodded for Sniper to sneak off to the side with his rifle. "See if you can't find the interloper and dispatch them immediately."

Sniper nodded. "I'm on it."

Spy carefully; without drawing too much attention to himself, reached down and activated his cloaking watch. He soon disappeared into a small cloud of whips then shoved Scout to the ground as fast as he could, the big talker went crashing to the ground with a surprised "Ooof." Then just as he fell a gunshot bang rang throughout the air and echoed through the mass of buildings, the bullet planted into the ground inches away from Scout.

"The hell was that?!" The runner scurried back onto his feet and looked around confused.

"We're unda attack!" Demo shouted towards the main base and pulled out his grenade launcher whilst searching around for the gunman. Engie pulled up his shot gun and moved his back into Demo's, hands tightly wrapped around his weapon with his finger on the trigger.

"There's a sniper, get to cover you fools! Mundy, up there!" Spy shouted and whipped out his revolver and began shooting up at a building towering above them, he watched as the assailant backed away and began to reload his gun while tucked inside of a door frame for cover. This provided a short window to escape, Spy turned back around and pushed Scout onward as the guy was aiming up at the sniper himself hoping to get a shot. "Get going, I will handle this!" Scout nodded and dashed towards cover where Engie and Demo were now hiding, the runner peered over the corner of the shed to see Spy re-cloak himself while heading into the building where the shot was fired from.

Spy carefully and quietly glided up the steps while being silent on his heels, the timer on his device was running low and would need to recharge before doing away with the hunter. He stopped on the second floor by the stairwell entry and looked at his timer, he took a deep breath while anxiously waiting; completely unaware of a small camera glued to the wall adjacent from his, capturing his every move on a tiny screen.

"Hmm, still quite the sneaky one Spy? Old predictable moves. You haven't changed a bit. That'll cost you mio caro amore." Came the silky smooth Italian tone of a woman. "Some people never change, I expected better of you." The woman hidden in the shadows laughed quietly to herself as she closed her compact mirror; shutting the camera off. She then reached up and clicked her earpiece. "Miguel, he's coming for you. He's got a revolver and cloaking device."

"He's what?" Came a more rough and aged voice, he sounded more foreign.

"The Spy, he's recharging his cloak; quickly move to the side of the door frame and be very quiet; aim at the doorway and shoot as soon as he moves past you. He will not be expecting you to hide."

"And how you know that? I've never shot an invisible man before, jefa." He whispered back.

"Trust me, I just know. Keep very still and listen very closely, so simple that even you can do it."

"Thank you hermosa. I got this." The hooded man set the rifle down on the floor to his side and pulled out his pocket pistol.

...

"What's take'n him so long?" Scout peered over the bend again.

"Incoming!" Soldier shouted as he charged across the yard and lunged into the corner where his fellow men were hiding, they grumbled and 'oofed' when he accidentally bumped into them, his helmet nearly knocked Scout out in one hit. 

"Gahhh! Watch it man!" Scout rubbed his aching head with narrowed eyes on Soldier.

"What's going on here?! Heard gunfire! Are we under fire?!" Asked Soldier who adjusted his helmet and armed his shottie while glancing around frantically.

"Yeah, Solly. Easy on the entry next time pal. Hey, weren't you suppose ta go out front?"

"I did. This is the front line of the battle son, Miss P told me to get out to the front and here i am, ready to fight."

"Okay. Well, as ya know; we're under attack, Spy cloaked and went up dere." He pointed back behind him with his thumb and the soldier also peered around the corner. "They have a sniper." Just as Scout finished he heard a loud gunshot with the sound of an ear-peircing cry, a familiar one. "Wait, th-that was Spy!" He shouted and him, Demo, Engie, and Soldier stormed from their cover. Sniper several feet away backed a little further and zoomed in to see if he could find Spy or shoot the damn man that shot Spy.

"Sentry going up!" Engie shouted as he paced several feet and set his sentry kit onto the snowy ground, he started to beat on the gun machine and bring the peices together to build a turrent should the hunters try to pick off more of the mercs or shoot them as they try to retrieve their spy.

"We're coming Spy!" Demo shouted and barged through the door not caring what damage he was bound to take, Scout zipped past him on the stairwell. Soldier stayed on the bottom floor and pulled out his rocket launcher before turning from one side to the other, his senses vigilant of any enemy movement.

Scout looked both ways as he rushed through the second floor room, he didn't see anyone meaning that they had already escaped, but a pitter-pattering sound of droplets had him taking a quick stop to see dark liquid seeping from between the creases of the wood of top floor. It was blood. Now in full panic he zoomed up the last set of stairs, fast feet came to an abrupt halt after moving up to the third floor. He saw Spy still and unresponsive on the ground, a large puddle of crimson staining his suit, his revolver feet away from reach. "Spy!" He shouted and quickly moved down onto a crouch position while frantic eyes trying to find signs of life. "Medic! We need Medic!" He screamed.

Demo stopped once he reached the top floor and rushed over to the broken window where the sniper had been. "MEDIIIKKKK!" He shouted and Engie below turned towards the base and hollered.

"Medic!"

"Come on Spy, ya can't die yet; we need those brains of yours!" Sure the spook was a jerk, stinky like cigarette smoke and old-man cologne, and bossy all the time, but he was still a comrade and probably one of the few of a few, actually keeping their asses alive with their intelligence. Besides, cranky crab or not, he was part of the RED mercs and part of the band of best friends.

Scout was no doctor, but he did know that any visible wounds needed to be closed immediately or the person wounded would die from blood loss. A very dark red stain blossomed from Spy's side, it where the blood flowed and what was killing the man. He needed a bandage or tourniquet to stop the blood flow. Scout's eyes moved to his surroundings in trying to find any useful resources.

"Aye laddie, ya bandages." Demo pointed out. "I'll lift him, just get him covered."

Blue orbs land on his covered wrists. "Oh right!" He swiftly pulled the straps loose on both hands and wrapped them around Spy's mid torso carefully. Panic flooded his system, he's never seen Spy in such a shape; he actually feared for the man's life. And damn, why was it taking Medic so long?! His eyes widened a bit and he feigned a smile when Spy opened his eyes and lightly groaned but dared not to move. "He's alive still! Hey Frenchie, hang in dere, it looks real bad but Medic is on his way."

"How did he know?" Spy muttered and winced as he attempted to sit up.

Scout grabbed him by the shoulders and forced him to stay on the ground. "Okay, now look tough guy; we don't have dat fancy pain-fix'n medigun anymore; it's still outta juice so you're gonna have ta take it easy. I'm sure your reputation will survive this slip-up. Stay with me okay pallie." Scout's smile fell when the white band around Spy's waist started turning red, the color spread across the fabric.

"Jeremy." Spy hissed the name which caused Scout to gape.

"How do ya know my name, I never told you. Hey, ya still awake?" The runner patted Spy on the cheek, the man's eyes slit open once more but barely.

He was on the edge of unconsciousness, vision fading out, breaths slowing down. "Death is but a doorway, you... better damn well stay away from it." He pushed the shaky words out no matter how much pain was consuming him, the side of his face now laid on the frozen wooden floor. "For the s-ake of your-" He didn't finish before his world went dark.

"Spy! Spy, come on man! Don't you dare die ya spook bastard!" Scout shouted more frantically, he's never watched a comrade of his die before his very eyes. So much adrenaline pumped through his system and yet he had no outlet for the energy, his world just seemed to slow down.

"I'm here!" Medic shouted as he reached the top floor with health kit, it was all he had with his medigun on empty.

"Doc, ya gotta do someth'n man!"

There was more gunshots from across the lot followed by explosions.

"We gotta get outta here!" Demo shouted.

"Medic nodded after searching and analyzing his newest patient, he hadn't any medical supplies to fix his patient up here; they would need to return to the base and hope to find something in the medical cabinets. "Demo, carry him to the infirmary as fast as you can, me and Scout will cover you."

Tavish nodded and scooped the thin man up and placed him carefully over his shoulder and carefully descended down the stairs while Medic prepped the last few syringes he had for his syringe gun and was ready follow.

"Come on Scout. Zt's not safe here. ... Scout?" Medic asked with concern as Scout was now a few feet away from the blood puddle; picking up Spy's revolver off the floor. The runner held it in his hand with his fingers coiled around the handle and trigger, and stared at it for a long moment before tightend his grip.

"I'm coming."


	4. Spy Sapp'n My Blood

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MEDIC! MEDIC! DOC! COME ON MAN! MEDIC! 
> 
> Medic-centric-ish chapter with good o'l Scout. 
> 
> Gotta love the Medic*likes to spam that Medic button during gameplay for no reason whatsoever*
> 
> Anyway, only took a few days(2) to get this chapter done.
> 
> Ever so close to getting the real plotline moving, thanks for bearing with me and I hope you like. Will probably be spending this weekend on patching up errors and editing. 
> 
> Also, please write people! I need more to read! This fandom doesn't get much love anymore.

...

"Those damn huntahs!" Demoman in a fit of fury downed the rest of the booze in his hand before taking the glass and smashing it to the ground with rage; shards of sharp fragments littered the floor. A heavy boot came down on one large chunk and crunched it to bits. He cared not that he made a new mess and din't care if anyone had something to say; he was drunk and pissed. "If he dies, I'll blow their bleedin' arses ta hell, every last one of them heathens!"

"Calm down fiyhacracka, we'll find the ones responsible for dis."

Everyone's eyes fall on Scout sitting on an empty tipped over barrel in the dark corner of the room, even Demo's gaze fell onto the man. Sniper noticed an undesirable change in Scout, seeing him hold Spy's black and white revolver and stare at it with such silence and an unreadable expression; he didn't like it at all. Scout is typically easy to read and relaxed when not in battle, even sitting real close and next to Miss Pauling; who was trying to comfort him on a barrel beside his didn't bring back that jovial little gremlin that always cracks jokes and goes on and on about how great he or the team was. It was as unsettling as the notion that the hunters were camped somewhere on this mountain waiting to attack again, that or fearful Spy; knowing that Spy had a grim outlook gave him chills.

"We'll make them pay." He finished, his voice low.

"Heavy don like this." Heavy whispered to Engie who happened to be standing next to him on the opposite end of the room from the runner. The man in the hardhat nodded. "Spy be okay though, the doktor will take care of him."

"I sure hope so big fella." Engineer replied with a short glance up at the taller merc before letting his gaze travel over to Tavish who sat back down on the table and wrapped his hands around his head like he had a migraine. "Don't know why, but Scout seems different; there's been plenty of times where either of us has almost died but was revived by Medic's strange fix'ns. Sure he wasn't there to watch any of us actually 'die' but seeing Spy in that condition and no medigun; makes me wonder what's runn'n through that head of his."

Heavy snorted. "Did you forget?" The shorter mercenary looked puzzled. "Spy stopped the interloper from shooting him, then went off on his own to protect his comrades. In way, Spy is like..." Heavy stopped himself from blurting out the forbidden truth that can only escape Spy's lips, not his. "Like, guardian to him. To all of us." He added. "He is angry for what happened, wants revenge."

Engie managed a small smile. "I guess you could say Spy likes to keep watch over all of us, he's a good leader; hard to get along with sometimes but still the glue that this team needs. I reckon we should all be feel'n the same way that Scout is."

Heavy nodded. "We should." The big man squeezed his right fist tightly and brought the other hand up to crack his knuckles on. "Next time, it will be them on ground, Heavy make sure of it, da."

"Couldn't agree more Chuck Wagon." Engie 'oofed' when Heavy elbowed him. He saw a grin on the big man's face and smiled himself. "What, ya like the name Slim better?" He received a low chuckle and a pat on the back.

"All is good leetle' leetle' man, work and build; build really good for next battle."

Engie snapped his fingers. "Improvement!" He said aloud. "Well son of a gun, I could have been improving my sentry even as we speak. It's been real quiet for the last hour; perfect timin'."

Sniper pulled himself away from the back door frame and turned around to face his fellow mercs with his arms crossed, Engie looked like he was ready to head off to the armory. "That an't the only thing that needs improvement round 'ere. If 'here's some way to betta fortify this place then feel free ta add some reinforced doors and extra sentries if ya can. We also need some of dese useless rooms blocked off and metal patches to cova tha windows, if ya got more idears then add dem in. We might be 'ere for a while."

"Great idea! I'll dig up some blueprints and see what I can do, I need some extra muscle to help me haul some metal sheets to the armory; anyone wanna volunteer?" He asked, there was no takers when Medic entered the room. The tall doctor grabbed everyone's attention when he placed a coiled up hand to his mouth and cleared his throat with a small cough. His expression wasn't one to cause concern but neither did he look happy.

Miss Pauling retracted her hand from Scout's shoulder, she apparently wasn't helping him much anyways so she stood up and walked over to the doctor. "What's the status report Ludwig?"

"Miss Pauling." Medic, though his face as solid and as grim a gravestone, his words were thankfully lighter. "He is alive," This made everyone in the room stand up and move in closer, even Scout. "However, he has lost much blood. Now if it weren't for zhe hunters attacking us upon his retrieval, I vould have collected his blood."

"Well it's not like we could, there wasn't any time; we were under fiyah and apparently explosions too." Scout reasoned despite Medic's unusual method of returning blood to bleeder. "Sides, all of it is probably froze'n to the floor up dere now. Dere was too much of a ruckus go'n on to really risk stick'n around."

Soldier tapped Scout on the shoulder, the younger man turned to face him. "What is it Soldja?"

"I saw one of the culprits and launched rockets at them, then in turn received a grenade. The explosions were on my end so you Scout, Medic, and Demo were not attacked but rather hearing the assault with me and the enemies. A rigorous battle with real firepower it was indeed, but you were not under fire."

"Soldja! Why didn't you tell us earlier?!" Scout faced the prideful American and got back a confused face and a shrug.

"I don't know, didn't seem like valuable information at the time. I was hunting the hunters and taking care of your six, once they got away, I scanned the area and returned here for further orders."

Scout face palmed then sighed. "Well, at least we got otta dere, a few bandages wasn't gonna help Spy so it was probably best that we got him to the infirmary and fast." He finished, his expression finally something near the lines of normal Scout, so Sniper noted. He still clung to the revolver though.

"Vith it being said zhat Spy lost a lot of blood, he needs more and very soon or ve vill lose him." The atmosphere of the room seemed to go cold and yet Medic didn't seem alarmed at all, this was strange to Heavy when he knew the doc had a great disdain for failure or his valued patients dying. "Zhere isn't much time, and vith zhe hunters at our heels and soon at our backs; I vould recommend zhat we get Spy up as soon as possible. To do zhat ve need a blood bank." A sudden grin formed on his face. "Don't worry, I have a new vay to transfer blood; can't say zhat it is painless; but it vorks at least." He sounded strangely hopeful.

"I'll do it." Engineer was the first to come forward, then he felt someone step to his side.

"No! Heavy do it, Heavy is big man with much more blood than tiny man." He spoke more loudly and put an arm up to block Engie.

Medic's cryptic smile faded faster than usual, he didn't appear to look worried but he wasn't exactly happy with the volunteers. "As much as I vould love volunteers for zhis operation; my options are unfortunately limited."

Miss P wasn't exactly convinced. "Limited? How? You just soaked up our blood when we were drained of blood by bloodsucking robots and put it back in us even if it was mixed, how is there an issue with volunteers for this particular case?"

Medic sighed and pulled a folded parchment of paper from his pocket and held the note delicately between his index and middle finger. "Zhis here is a contract that Spy forced me to sign, first requested, zhen forced." He added. "But vhat it entitles is a list of zhings zhat I may or may not do vhen operating on him. One of zhose zhings is using a different blood type during transfusions, I may not use any incompatible blood types. Strangely, one of zhe other zhings zhat I cannot do is 'laugh like a maniac' at any point over his body when operating; though it's not like he would know if I did or not."

"What? Why listen to someth'n as crazy as that, you're saving his life and I'm will'n to help out here." Engie defended. "I have my sentries and dispensers to help me out, I'm not always on the move like most of everyone else; I can take weak knees."

Medic shook his head in disapproval. "Yes vhy saving him is my goal, I must stick to contracts since it falls in zhe category of 'doctor-patient confidentiality' ...and my reputation's sake, I must have zhe right blood type. After going through zhe medical records Miss Pauling so generously gave to me a few veeks ago; I have found zhat only three of us excluding Spy, have zhe particular rare blood type AB negative." He placed a hand on both Heavys and Engineer's shoulder. "Es tut mir leid, meine Freunde. You don't share zhe type needed, though your selfless volunteering vas vell appreciated." He pulled away from the men and wiped his glasses on his vest before placing them back onto his face.

"Well shucks." Engie rubbed the back of his head. "If we ain't got the right type then who does?"

"Blood types again, bah! No such thing, it's all the same as far as I'm concerned. Blood is blood and it is RED." Soldier looked away with his arms crossed, he could have sworn that these people were living in the delusion that 'certain' blood cells had to get along with their own kind or otherwise one would beat the crap out of the other and cause deadly side affects. Or something like that. What 'new age' nonsense. He shook his head.

"Zhe only ones vith AB negative is Pyro, Demo, and Scout. No one else shares zhe same type." Medic pocketed his contract with Spy and then reached for a spare syringe and pulled it out for all to see it's sharp tip. "So, vho vill be zhe lucky one?" He asked with a big smile.

"HMMMHHH! HMMMHH!" Pyro backed away from the doctor and hid behind Soldier, he was shuddering.

What he saw was the Medic slowly warping out of shape, the man's ears grew up and out into a thin point and his chin sharpened, the toothy smile turned into a toothy smile with large fangs, his eyes now turning blood-red.

"Vhat's vrong Pyro, afraid to give a little blood?" The syringe was now a bloody bloodsucking bat.

"VMMMPPPHHH! VMMMPPPHHH!"

"Vampire?" Medic laughed to himself, it was preposterous but he was amused. "Vampire oh heavens no, I zhink not. Not every syringe I hold means zhat I am a blood-sucking atrocity of Zransylvania."

"Uh, actually, he just afraid of the feel'n of blood being pulled from him." Engie declared and Pyro nodded. "It's why you can give him a shot, that's fine, but draw'n blood is a different story. Besides, he also doesn't like vampires."

"Fine let the lass cower and hide, I'll duuu it!" Demo staggered over to Medic and attempted to take the syringe from him, though the doc was quick to move it beyond his shaky reach. "I ain't fraid of no bee sting."

Medic carefully shoved him away and he bumped into the wall before collapsing on the floor and grabbing his aching head. "Sorry Zavish, but zhe alcohol levels in your bloodstream is far zoo high; especially after your last three drinks. Spy vill die from alcohol poisoning if he obtains blood from you. Besides, I'm not going to transfer using zhis, zhat would be ridiculous and very time consuming. I brought it to make a point."

"Terrible joke doktor." Heavy beamed with a raised brow.

Medic sighed and carelessly tossed the syringe behind him and it clacked to the floor and rolled a few feet away. "Alright, so I can't make nice jokes like Scout. Just Thought I would lighten zhe mood, all of you have been making zhis place feel like a morgue since Spy went down."

"Well." Miss Pauling started with hint of hopefulness in her tone. "It wasn't that bad, but you are right; can't let what happened out there keep us down."

"Then I guess that leaves me." Scout finally spoke up and moved up from the group to face the doctor.

"Ah, you are villing to help Spy ja?" Medic looked more hopeful and moved closer to the runner. "You are pretty healthy and fit and haven't bled from any vounds recently. So perfect!"

"Yeah." He agreed hollowly. Medic noticed this and lost his cheerful smile. He placed a hand on the runner's shoulder.

"Listen Scout, you don't have to do zhis if you don't vant too."

Scout lightly brushed off the hand and faintly smiled. "Ehhh, I owe him one, no problem Medic."

Medic returned the smile. "Wunderbar!" He chimed. "Very vell Scout, I'm sure Spy vould appreciate it."

"Yeah, yeah. Let's just go and get this over with, not a fan of having my blood outside of my body."

"Thank you Scout."

The young man turned around to see Miss Pauling beaming at him, she patted his back gently and nodded. Scout felt a smile creep back up and tried to say something but was cut off when Medic grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him away towards the staircase that lead to the infirmary downstairs.

"No time to lose, ve wasted enough already." Said the doctor who was all too happy to begin preparations.

"Maybe we can talk... sometime later?!" Scout shouted back before he was pulled from sight, he saw the woman, Engie, Zhanna, and Heavy waving bye to him. "Whoa doc, slow down some okay, I can walk on my own ya know." He replied as he was being led like a little kid to operation room, besides, Medic grasp on his wrist through the turns of the building was twisting his skin uncomfortably. He let out a sigh of relief when the doctor actually let him go. They were now outside of the infirmary's doors, Medic was the first one to enter, he then held the door open.

"Come in Scout, but try not to zouch anything; I had to sanitize most of zhe room as also listed on Spy's note. Vho knew he vas a little germaphobic?"

Scout entered the infirmary, it wasn't as well lit as it used to be and it was actually pretty damn cold; there was still layers of dust on the floor and a couple of the counter tops and medial cabinets. Most of the medical tools and carts however; were so clean and shiny that he could see his reflection in them. He kept his arms and the revolver to himself and glanced around as he moved past some of the larger machines that the medic would have used had the medigun had any juice, he was now in a smaller area that was full of more 'primitive' tools. The air was surprisingly stale and smelt like rubbing alcohol and other base antiseptics; very unpleasant and almost sickening.

"Over here Scout."

Medic a few feet ahead of him pulled back a curtain that separated the room; behind that curtain was a bedridden spy; suit missing and covered with a mint green blanket that only had a few spots of blood on it. A rhythmic beep came from the Cardio-meter the man was hooked up to, his breathing was stable. That was a relief. But then Scout felt his eye twitch, the snake 'n the grass; though on the possible verge of death was still wearing that mask. He wasn't even wearing his suit anymore, yet that mask was still there like an extra layer of skin.

Dangerous curiosity suddenly struck him like a bolt of lightning, he always wanted to see what Spy's ugly mug looked like; what that guy was hiding and too afraid to show. He's forgotten how many times he's asked Spy to show himself just for kicks, saying that he promised to not make fun of him or anything; though not even that was guaranteed depending on what he'd find that is.

He approached the bed with his eyes solely focused on the mask and the somewhat pale and peaceful parts of the face he could see, Medic had dissapeared off to his side doing something but he paid no mind. Spy was shockingly pale now that he was up closer to see, the frenchie always had a nice deep rich cream color around his eyes; now he looked pasty like he hadn't seen sunlight in years.

The man looked so peaceful, too peaceful to be exact the runner thought as his eyes traced over the man's unconscious form. Scout couldn't ever recall a moment where Spy was this calm or drained of frustration and fatigue, he smiled here and there and cheered along with the band of mercs; but those were far and few in their service of Mann Co. Though the man's life was on the line, at least he got some pretty good rest; for now.

Scout carefully placed the revolver on the bedside table close to the spook, he was returning it; no biggie. Spy could owe him for that later.

Once again when his eyes moved back onto Spy's closed ones, that strong curiosity prodded him like an incurable itch; he wanted to see, no had to see. If only to shut his irksome mind up! He carefully lowered his hand and reached out for the hem of the burgundy mask along the man's neckline, all he had to do was peel it back some if only for a moment.

"Don't zouch zhat mask Scout, Doctor-Patient Confidentiality. Golden rule."

The abrupt voice behind him made him flinch away and turn on his heels. "Don't scare me like dat doc, sheesh. I just wanted to see why he hides his face, can't be any big deal right?"

He frowned like a punished toddler when Medic waved a finger at him; like a kid caught halfway in a cookie jar. "As tempting as it may be, you must respect his identity and request; as do I. He will show if he vants, which is just zhe same as like how you von't let anyone zouch your bat."

"Hey, it's my last one, of course I'm not gonna let anyone touch it; I know how to beat in skulls without do'n too much damage to it. Not everyone has the skill to brainbash like me."

"I agree. Now, let's focus on zhe giving of zhe blood."

The runner blinked as he looked at Spy then back to Medic. "How much does he need? He's almost white enough to be a real spook; if ya know what I mean?"

"Hmm, as yes; I have forgotten to calculate zhe amount." Medic placed his hang on his chin as he thought and paced around the room, it took around a half of a minute before he walked back to the bed and spoke again. "Considering his condition and the size of zhe wound with vhat vas lost already minus vhat I could soak up from Demo's vest... I vould say about 450 milliliters, and it's only one-hundred and fifty milliliters over the limit! Nothing zoo dangerous." He laughed which slightly discouraged Scout, but after looking back at Spy, he decided he was still going through with it.

"Okay, hook me up I guess."

Medic pulled a chair up next to the bed then walked to the back of the room and returned carting a machine with a small engine sticking out on the side of it, that part looked out of place; sort of looked like one of Engie's little mechanisms. "Just zake a seat here and I will finish preparations. Get comfortable, zhis procedure might be a long one."

Scout plopped his bottom down on the cold metal chair and scooted a little closer to the machine next to Spy'd bed. He pointed at the dusty; not quite as white machine with the out of place rusted red engine. "What exactly is dat anyways doc?"

Medic gently patted the top of the machine. "Oh zhis? You may not remember but I used to use zhis machine to filter blood from clots and help stimulate blood flow, also used it to suck up blood so zhat I could operate with less mess. Archimedes just cannot resist a puddle to bathe in so it was necessary to create. Still, zries to get into zhat is an inch of fluid, naughty dove." He looked up and pointed at the bloodstained bird resting on one of the ceiling cords that were attached to the walls up high, it cooed and tilted it's head. "You stay out of my patient's vounds, zhis one has a contract. You hear me?"

Scout found it strangely endearing to watch the man shake a finger at his beloved pet, probably one of the few normal things that happen around this band of mercs. Each of the mercs had such a special personality that he was sure he wouldn't find anywhere else, you can't just buy this freaky-weird and yet awesome attachments with just any body of people. He wouldn't trade this job and his circle of pals for any other career or partners in the world; money couldn't buy the home-feeling these guys brought him even if he hadn't seen his Ma or his brothers in a long time now. Nothing was better than being on the battlegrounds with some super smart, well maybe not 'that' smart, tough, resilient, clever, brave, powerful, trustworthy, and super slick people, it kicked ass!

Once Medic had attempted and failed to shoo his little friend away from the patient, he gave up and pulled the bed sheet back to reveal Spy's arms and torso; the wound on the spook's side was wrapped up tightly with gauzes. Medic proceeded to hook cords up to the machine and then popping tiny plastic tubes into the needle sockets that stuck out of the veins of Spy's limbs. The sight of size of the needles was startling but Scout knew he couldn't chicken out, not only would Spy die but then he'd have to live his life out as a wuss. 'Not gonna happen.' So he told himself.

"Zhe Engineer helped me create zhis machine, been years, ja. Does it still vork to maximum capacity? Ve'll see."

"That's not mak'n me feel anymore comfortable pal." He just had to say. "Let's just get dis over with."

Medic nodded in agreement and then moved over to Scout before kneeling down and grabbing his arm, he folded it out and Scout didn't retaliate or fuss. He reached over and grabbed the needle and cords from the table. "Okay now listen Scout, zhis is probably going to hurt, not too much; but vill still sting. Just zhink of it as acupuncture but vith actual punctures... into your bloodstream."

"Uh, hate to say dis doc, but ya still not mak'n me feel anymore comfortable. You're actually mak'n me worry."

The medic nodded and waved it off. "Entschuldigt Freud. Just making conversation, though zhe choice in topic was a poor one on my end. But forgive me and let's get ready, zhis is going to hurt. So breathe in and out at a regular even pace, move your mind to something you enjoy. Once I slip zhe needles in you need to remain perfectly still until zhe transfer is over, if you start feeling nausea or faint, let me know immediately so zhat I can stop. But be warned zhe longer Spy goes without zhis blood, the more of a chance he can die vithin the next half hour or so. Hypothermia vill also set in soon, so shall ve begin?"

"If it keeps Spy from being a spooky Spycicle, then yeah, I'm ready."

"Okay." Medic responded abruptly with a grin then jabbed the needles into Scout's arm.

...

"Demo, you gonna move your ass and help or are ya gonna just sit there?" Engie asked the drunkard as he walked by the table with various tools and parts in his arms. "Can't block up all the windows before nightfall if ya don't help us. Everyone else is at least work'n around here." He finished and left the room. Demo was nearly passed out on the table with saliva trailing down his cheek, any words that he muttered were garbled.

"I'm a build'n me bom-bobs. Aye help'n you alrea-dy."

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"Gah!" The loud piercing echoing scream made Demo snap out of his drunken daze and look around with wide eyes.

Engie stepped back into the room with a puzzled expression. "Was that Scout?"

...

"See, zhat vasn't too bad." Medic attempted to lighten the situation though the younger man looked like he was on the verge of tears, the doctor moved back over to the machine and started clicking buttons and turning dials.

"The needles are fuck'n huge and dat fuck'n hurt, no wonda Pyro was back'n out like a chicken." Scout gnashed his teeth, three large needles with tubes attached were now sticking out of the veins on the inside crease of the elbow.

"Vell, see it zhis way. Your pain vill reap a great reward, not everybody can do vhat you are doing now." He replied and flipped the last switch, he turned around to see Scout's face contort inward as blood flowed from his arm, through the tubes and into the machine. The doctor moved around the transfer device and watched as blood flowed into Spy's arms. "Excellent, you are doing vell Scout."

"I hope you're right." He quickly wiped the dampness near the corners of his eyes with his free hand and pulled off his hat, he set it off to the side on a desk next to the revolver and focused on his breathing. He hated the feeling of being drained, literally. Feeling the pull made him want to puke and it was a constant battle to keep his eyes off of the blood-sapping tubes, his stomach churned to his displeasure.

The medic took notice of the younger man's body language which read complete discomfort; he didn't know why but he felt driven to ease the boy's pain and the best medicine was of course laughter. He pulled up an unused stool and took a seat on the other side of his patient and monitored the transfer for a second before pulling together a better conversation. "So Scout, how does it feel to be a hero?" He asked with a faint smile.

"I'm a hero?" He looked up and questioned, a bit confused. "It's just giv'n blood, nothin' all that great pal."

"Ja." Medic replied simply. "Pyro wouldn't do it."

"I see why." Scout quickly added.

"And Demo was too inebriated, zhat leaves you; if you didn't do it zhen Spy would be either dead or dying. Surely knowing this you have to feel a little better?"

"I suppose it does Medic. Hurts like hell though." He hissed, the machine was pulling him closer to his limits.

"True, but only zhe brave and strong vould do it, you saw how Heavy and Engineer volunteered; zhey would do it no questions asked. Zhey vill be so proud of you Scout, everyone vould; even Spy." Medic's own smile grew as Scout's face lit up a little, distractions were proven to help his assistant along with the procedure.

"Heh, you really think so? Cause as great as I am, some people around here will disagree; they just can't see dis greatness right in front of them. I have to open eyes and turn heads around here, at least now some the more difficult to impress will finally see some real action; even if it's sitt'n in a chair and having blood sapped outta me." He nodded towards Spy. "I mean him, it's pretty tough to get a compliment from him; let alone get along with Spook when he's cranky. Hahaha, he's gonna be real cranky when he wakes up and is stiff as a board."

"I do agree zhat zhe replacement of blood is not easily applied to muscle tissue, make zake some zime before he'll move normally. A couple hours at most."

"Yeah, definitely not gonna be happy bout dat. But hey, he's alive, dat's what matters." He finished with a smile despite the pain, his eyes remain on the unconscious man. He was starting to feel drowsy and weak; like he needed a good nap.

Medic continues to hold his smile, but behind his expression is a wall of questions and confusion. He knew what he saw on the medical records when he dug up the files for the listed blood types, there was no mistaking it and he checked it over three times before he even patched the snake of a merc up; his mind racing as he sewn the wound and sewn the truth in his mind. Right below the blood type was a column with numbers; a code for DNA if you will, just a list of numbers in a specific pattern that make up genetic code. His eyes happen to catch the last four numbers on Spy's record before he pried open Soldier's, then Scout's. Though he found the rare and unique blood type on Scout's record, his eyes happened to capture the last few digits on the genetic code on the Runner and they were oddly familiar.

This is where he pulled out both files and laid them side by side as he studied the numbers, each and every number matched, each column a perfect set. This repeating pattern was all too familiar with the doctor as in the days of old in the first moments of his career he would work on patients that were related to each other so this kind of thing shouldn't be new to him; and yet it was like he discovered gold. At the beginning of his field medic days with the team; both Spy and Scout hadn't know each other or even associated with each other, there was no known connection. In a way the two seemed at ends with each other and fussed a lot, this made him wonder if Spy even knew he had a son and had been working with him this whole time. It was strangely appealing, a mystery of how a Frenchman and a Bostonian woman brought forth Scout into this world and yet the father not even now them as son.

Part of him wanted to break out the great news and celebrate the fact that the two were family; actual relation status of father and son, it would be wonderful! But on the other hand, Spy was... well Spy, a man that was supposed to be shrouded in mystery. He did not take fellowship as well as everyone else did when it came to the team, but of course someone has to be the slightly detached to keep the group together and focused. He decided since Spy was the father, he would share the information with him first; that way the man has a choice as to whether he wants to bring up the truth with his son or keep to himself.

Medic had never felt so happy and yet conflicted from such a revelation; in fact he hasn't felt so moved with human emotion since the day that Heavy told him that he was his closest friend and would never let someone hurt him again or leave his side. Heavy saved his life in the early days of his new profession, nearly died for his sake a few times; barely knew him and yet did so much. Change started from there. Ever since he came to the join the mercenaries, he's felt a transformation of sort; the good kind though. Before joining the mercs; he was a sharply focused man waiting for patients to operate on for the sake of curiosity, to find out how the body functions and how to make them work better and mend them as well as break them down. It was all for his self gain, he's come along way since.

These eight lives before him now, they were special. Though often reckless and demanding of his attention, they were his comrades, patients, companions, his familie. There wasn't anything going to rob them of their lives so long as he had anything to say about it. No matter what measure must be taken, not one will die on his table.

...

"Scout."

Heavy lidded eyes opened a bit to see a white form moving about in his face.

"Scout, you're done; you can wake up now."

It sounded like Medic. Scout opened his eyes to see Medic snapping his fingers in his face. He narrowed his eyes and grumbled. "Hey, watch it; you're too close man." He pushed the hand away and rubbed his eyes. A long soft yawn escaped his gaping mouth as he stretched his arms up and over his back; he felt cords taping his underarms until he brought his hands back down into his lap. The needles were still there but the machine was off and Spy didn't look as pale as he remembered; which was good. Now he did however; feel incredibly tired and drained of energy

"You dozed off during zhe transfusion, keine bange! You sailed through the transfer vithout issue. Now Spy vill fully recover and may even be awake within the next few hours; zhough up and valking will zake just a little more time."

"Doc, I feel so tired and cold. What should I do?"

"Ah, of course. side effects." Medic cleared his throat. "Now listen very closely Scout, you need to be very cautious for zhe sake of your health for zhe next twenty-four hours. I had to pull a lot of blood from you; a little more zhan I previously needed actually. So you may experience much fatigue, drowsiness, crankiness, possibly poor vision, chills, migraines, and lethargic movements. I vould suggest zhat you drink a lot of fluids; non alcoholic, and replenish sugar levels; perhaps with a soda and a sanvich. Now this is very important Scout, do not, DO NOT, in any circumstance preform vigorous activities such as running or taxing labor for zhe next twenty-four hours. Fluids vill help balance out your blood flow and you vill start recovering blood cells and strength pretty quickly over zhe week. Got it?"

The younger man groaned. "But what if we get attacked again?"

"Zhen stand back and let your comrades handle it, besides, zhey have zhe doctor." He pointed to himself.

"Fine. Medic?" His blue orbs fall onto the cords still attached to him. "Can you get these things outta me, it still fuck'n hurts."


	5. At The Break of Dawn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ever so close to the first turning point of the story, might be one more chapter before then or at the end of the next one. Was going to get the plot on wheels until I decided that I needed this chapter, not only to get a 'little' family bonding and character development to both Spy and Scout but also reveal the rest of the bounty hunters and their classes. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy the story along with Scout's ramblings.
> 
> Also, not feeling the chapter title, it is subject to change.

Glossy silver-blue eyes pried open to a dusty metal ceiling covered in pipes, little flecks of dust danced around softly in the air above him in the light of an overhanging operator lamp. Pain wracked his body upon his waking breath, his right side burned and the slightest of movements made him wince; he would have vocalized his pain had he not noticed his surroundings and the light steady beep of the Cardio-meter. It was so quiet, so much so that he could hear his own intakes of breaths and something shifting close by; before his eyes could land on the source it spoke.

"Well well, look who finally decided to join the wake'n world." Scout greeted with a toothy smile.

"Scout?" Spy sat up carefully and slowly, nearly every inch of his torso was screaming for him to lie back down but it wasn't like he had a choice; his team was up against some pretty tough odds and there was to be no room for slacking with certain hunters. He tilted his head to his side to see Scout faintly smiling at him, the younger man looked exhausted and a bit more pale then he remembered. He did however notice the bandages around the runner's left arm along with new clean ones around his wrists and palms.

What he last remembered was Scout trying to patch him up and panicking, screaming for Medic and trying his best to look and remain clam but obviously falling apart at the seams. Spy recalled telling the guy that whatever he did that he'd better not die for his mother's sake, then it was blank from there. He also recalled that he never finished his last words, he was almost thankful that he didn't. Spy had been shot in the side when he went up the stairs to dispatch the sniper, an unexpected attack despite being fully cloaked and silent as a slithering snake. When he fell and uncloaked the hunter had then proceeded to kick him in the abdomen before answering back on his mic, he then escaped and left Spy to bleed out on the floor.

So much for his plans to scour out the BLU base later for supplies and possibly even some medi-serum, the hunters had played them well. The merc crew had just got there in the first hour before and they nearly killed him; Spy, one of the best mercs. He placed a hand on his head and rubbed his temples, didn't even underestimate them; just simply fell for an old trick and was shot down. It was embarrassing, and he was a reckless fool for not taking more intuitive measures.

But something still begs the question...

"How did he know?" He whispered to himself.

Scout raised a brow at this and sat up in his chair. "Again with dat question? How about a 'thank you pal' for save'n your life?"

So the bandages meant that he... Spy faintly sighed and closed his eyes for a brief moment when he noticed the bandages around both his arms.

A transfusion.

The young runner gunner had gave him blood, that was a bit of a surprise; yet the kind merit only made the situation more detrimental.

"You are no nurse, certainty not a doctor; but I do thank you Scout." Spy shot a glance at him from the corner of his eye and made a quick vanishing smile.

Scout puffed out his chest and gave a thumbs up. "No problem, I owed it to ya."

"You did not have to give any blood to me, doing so now means that you will have to stay out of battle for a little while; which is much to sacrifice with the numbers we have and what we are up against. I have become a burden; not a title I take too well to."

Scout lightly scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Look you're welcome, but uh, you'd be dead if I didn't stand up to da plate ya here. Pyro was too chicken and Demo too drunk, apparently; I was the only otha one who shares your blood type, and as much as I'd hate to admit; you're smarter than me." He paused for a long moment and twiddled with his fingers, it was tough saying it aloud despite not typically getting along with the guy. "And- ... sometimes it takes more brains than brawn ya know?" He finished admitting as coolly as he could then leaned back. "Sides, it's not like I was jus gonna let ya die or anything like that. We're part of a team; much like a dysfunctional family in an odd sense, but yeah we're all in it togetha." He scratched the back of his head while avoiding Spy's sideward gaze, Scout still felt pretty guilty in a sense. "I didn't want 'cha to die, was afraid you would; I was shake'n. I was the one to run out dere when you told us ta stay put; it's my fault dis eva happened.

And I'm sorry." He shrugged.

If there was anything that could describe the runner's expression then it was the weight of guilt, an expression he wasn't too familiar with himself; but his years of being a spy had given him the opportunity to see plenty of it during his undercover operations. This didn't mean that he didn't feel guilt, he can just mask it better than others or shove it aside. Besides, there was no room for self-pity in his profession; killing and stealing was his game after all.

Spy really couldn't blame Scout since they were all unaware of Soldier's and Zhanna's location at the time and feared for them, Spy himself was concerned too but he was not about to let any emotions to stir him from focus. The latest encounters with the hunters have really pushed him and his comrades, after weeding out the weak and getting targeted by the more daring and clever with ammo running low; options were running slim and risks were greater. Each passing day was becoming more and more of a challenge and now the best of the best were sent out to rid them for good; it was only going to get more edgy from this point and even lasting into the next few days with whatever ammo and weapons they had left.

Morale and the chances of survival was sure to drop.

Even if they were to conquer these hand-picked bounty men, more would rise eventually for the price on their heads. Their only hope was waiting and outlasting wave after wave of talented gunmen. It was bad; if not worse than all of the robots they used to face in the Mann Co. There was only so much a handful of men could do with limited resources, at least with the machines they could recover ammo and parts for practical use; that option with living targets was no use other than collecting weapons from the dead and pocket whatever ammo that can be found. But even then, it's still not enough. Not with a collective of dangerous minds that know how to outwit, set traps, ambush, and out gun them. Turning themselves in was also not an option seeing as the corrupt justice system would have them all executed with the dirt brought upon them from an unknown and despised source.

Things were not looking good for the mercs, but he couldn't let the team believe that, the obvious painful truth would just bring the inevitable before they are ever given the chance through Miss Pauling.

It was all on Team effort now, the final stand.

Spy, though conflicted with the thought of Scout being an even more easier target than before, and the probability of having to watch him die in the very near future; it provoked something in him. He wasn't quiet sure what it was but the feeling wasn't a bad one; just something different. In a sense; new. So what could it be? Respect? Admiration to admit culpability? Proclaiming superiority with cleverness beating out physical stature? Gratitude for saving his life? Showing maturity and acknowledgement of responsibility?

Conceivably it was all of these things and more?

It was a subtle feeling, if only a by a little; no matter what it was he decided to act upon it. It was time to look on the brighter side, even if that side was growing more bleak with each day.

"Tout est bon."

Scout felt a hand come down upon his head and ruffle through his hair and knead his scalp, this he did not expect. He didn't flinch away though, it was actually kind of strange but also kind of welcome. Only his brothers ever ruffled his hair or gave him noogies, and most times they did it just to pester him so this was new-ish.

"Apology accepted. Perhaps I misjudged your mentality Scout, you are more mature than I last remembered despite the mistakes you have made."

"Haha." The runner laughed and finally pushed Spy's hand away. "And what's dat suppose ta mean?" He smoothed his hair back down on his head.

"It means that you are more stable in the brain, more wiser you could say." He pointed to the younger's cranium and smirked. "But don't think you are as strong as you think you are 'pencil arms', bravery and muscle are two different things. Thanks for the compliment though, it's a rare occurrence when 'you' tell someone they are smarter than yourself."

Scout made an unamused expression and waved him off. "Ya whateva, I've been work'n out; jus don't have arms like Heavy yet but I'll get dere, you'll see. Plus, I'm not the only one here with 'pencil arms'." He quoted with the bending of his fingers.

"Touchè." Spy countered and forced himself to stretch while in the makeshift bed. "But at least I have stealth and flexibility." He stretched his arms over his head and immediately cringed, the creases of his elbows were quite sore; or rather very sore.

"I have speed pallie, don't forget."

"Hmph." He smirked back. "Running will only get you so far."

"Yeah but being a sneaky bastad has it's risks." Scout countered. "In case of what happened earlier, point proven."

"Alright. But still; before you 'run' off to check something out in a territory that's hiding your enemies, think first. We were lucky none us were killed out there."

"I know now." His expression deflated, the friendly banter abruptly came to a halt and Spy noticed immediately. That face of guilt.

"Scout, try not to let the incident get to you, it was not your fault I was shot; I just didn't anticipate what was going to happen. You only made the mistake of ignoring me and running outside in the open like an imbecile, nothing more. I should have been more alert of the possibilities." He defended, Scout was being unusually hard on himself.

Scout's smile fell completely and he gazed down at his lap. "It's kinda hard to think that but I should have listened, we wouldn't have been attacked had we stayed inside. I know it's my fault."

"Listen Scout." Spy spoke up, he flicked the runner in the ear when he did not turn to look at him.

"Ow, whadda ya do dat for?" He looked back at spy while now rubbing his ear and narrowing his eyes.

"Because, you are placing blame where it does not belong, Mon garcon. There is nothing wrong with having concern for comrades, we all do. Next time just think it more through instead of reacting on the second's notice." He placed a hand on his chest and swallowed his pride. "I should try to remember this myself, going up there to kill the gunman was my decision and mine alone; I did not think my actions fully through when all I had on my mind was taking out a formidable foe. Next time, I will not repeat that mistake. I trust that you will not repeat yours?" He stared down at the runner who shrugged.

"Uh, yeah? Definitely."

"Don't run straight into danger, don't know how many times we've been through this but you should know by now. Always remember to be alert around enemies or when enemies are on our turff, standing in any kind of opening with the enemy on your heels is a terrible idea. Almost got shot by that sniper, I was fortunate to have seen him first. So learn."

Scout shook his head and rolled his eyes, he waved his arms. "Alright, alright. Geeze Spy, you're as bad as my Ma. Scout don't do dis, Scout don't do dat. Don't run with scissors, you're gonna hurt someone." He started counting on his fingers. " ... Or yourself. Don't pick fights ya can't win. Watch what ya say. Rememba what ya older brothas did? Now one's in prison and another is missing part of their hand and is officially handicapped. Obey the law and eat your veggies or no dessert." He slapped his hands on his lap. "I know I know. Learn from your mistakes and don't run away from ya problems. I get it!"

Spy would have laughed at the irony, he cracked a thin smile but it was short lived. Time was of the essence and there was no clock in the infirmary that he could see, plus his cloaking watch was also missing from his wrist. He put his hand into his pants pocket to find the Dead Ringer but it wasn't there either. Medic took just about everything off him. Great. "Scout, you wouldn't happen to know what time it is would you?"

The runner blinked and took a second while tapping his chin. "Came down here about twenty-five past five in da morning. Now add about thirty minutes onta dat."

"I've been out all night?!" He looked flustered, he's been unconscious for far too long, an attack could happen at any moment and he wasn't even ready or armed.

"Yeah. Medic woke me yesterday cause I apparently fell asleep during the transfusion. After I finished and when I knew you'd be okay I left for my bunkroom to crash at. Walked right into my room and pretty much killed ova on my cot and wrapped up for da night, it was dusty as hell but I was too tired to care at the time. Didn't even sneeze once. Woke up around four and came to check on ya, on my way through I saw Snipes still awake and walking to the doorways. Should have seen the bags unda his eyes, he was carrying a lot of hours and was grumpy as hell too. Anyway, with him apparently still on sentry duty; I offered ta take his spot but he wouldn't let me, then Heavy came out of the living quarters and pretty much forced Sniper ta go and get some sleep. Engie then placed a sentry down at the back door and finally turned in for himself since he had been patching up the place and fortifying it some."

"So yeah, pretty uneventful for da most part. Got pretty damn cold too, it's no wonder no one attacked us after dark. Got so cold that we had to get Engie to add doors and help insulate da place. Also had a water pipe to the bathroom sink burst from over freezing. But no worries, Engie handled it too but with some help from Pyro; he stayed up about as much hours as Snipes did."

"Was that all that happened last night?"

"Oh, almost forgot. Miss Pauling went ova the rest of the hunters profiles last night, she asked me to fill you in about em as soon as you were awake. And you will not believe it, but there are women try'n to kill us too." He said with a serious face.

"What a surprise indeed." Spy mused for Scout's sake. He already knew who they were all going up against but he decided to let the runner continue seeing as no one was supposed to know that he already knew and the fact that Scout looked all to eager to share the information. "Very well then Scout." He motioned a hand outward. "Please do inform me, but quickly."

"I'm the fastest man alive, I'll do it quickly alright? I gotcha." He cleared his throat and stood up, he repositioned himself and his chair so that he was facing the back end with his arms draped over the back support, legs around the chair's. "Okay, first off; dat prick dat shot ya." He pointed at Spy. "The one that was sniping us. Now I can't be one-hundred percent sure that it was him with all the bounty hunters that have been coming afta us, but a gut feel'n tells me that he's da one." Scout's eyes narrowed, his frown was a deep one; his hand was coiled up into a fist and resting in his other with his fingers tightening their grip. "I don't have da pictures on me so I will describe to da best of my abilities alright?"

"Proceeded." Spy encouraged.

"I believe Miss P said he around six feet, somewhat buff, a little taller than Medic, he's a bounty hunta from Denmark. Brunette with very short-close to bald hair, ugly mug, tattoos across one side of his face, looks like he belongs in da mafia. He's what they call the 'Gunman' class. Has a sniper rifle, two submachines, two pistols, and a shotgun! Six freak'n guns, da bastad is loaded and apparently skilled with each type. He can also dual wield his pistol and his automatic subs, drawbacks though; he's slow on his feet, needs extra time to switch out guns and reload, and nearly blind in one eye. He was injured some years ago that left him a bit crippled, which is great for us; but he still spells trouble in my book. The name... Miguel Jepsen."

Spy narrowed his eyes, he already was acquainted with this man up and personal hours ago; he was ready to introduce himself and return a favor.

"Next up is a lady! Can you believe it?! A woman! Some hot Italian chick with the 'Surveillance' class, doesn't sound too intimidating I know, but her records are filled with trails of es-espiange- no wait. Esponge?"

"Espionage." Spy corrected.

"Yeah, dat!" He clapped his hands then pointed at Spy. "Dark brown hair shoulder length, supposedly amber eyes, likes to wear sunglasses a lot; even in her photo. I think Miss Pauling said her name was Alessandra Marino. She looks pretty fine for her age, but I think I'll avoid this one; she'd be a cat killa I just know it."

Spy felt an array of conflicting emotions when it came to this hunter, this woman he once knew so well. An old colleague of his in his assassin training days in France, an old love he left behind. So this is where she finally chose to put her career into? Hunting down people rather than sticking to her original choice of being an international spy? Unfortunate.

"Anyways, she has this little bug-machine thing that's like a security camera and can be mounted pretty much anywhere on any wall but has to charge if it flies around for too long. She is the communicator that tells her partners where the enemies are at, keeps a mic and a hidden camera. She carries daggers and is very stealthy, much like you Spy. She also likes her silencer with the secondary weapon being one hot laser pen. Okay, gotta admit; laser pen sounds really cool right?"

The fly on the wall?

Now it all made sense how Miguel knew where he was and was able to shoot him. She communicated where he was and this lead him to be shot; that woman was always one step ahead. Even in a partnership. He once had a thing for her and she had it bad for him like a succubus on her favorite victim; several one-night stands and many make-out sessions. It was a trade-for-trade like relationship, satisfying desires for both parties. However; the nice partnership ended abruptly at one point when he found himself dumped for an associate of his, the woman just kicked him to the curve without reason and hung herself around another. And just when he was beginning to think that there could have been something more between them than just an outlet for pleasure, he fell for her.

That was a mistake.

It's why he took one of a few undesirable missions to America to assassinate a wealthy noblemen in Boston New York; him nor any of his associates liked the country or that particular city. But he took it to escape the anger and heartache, to clear his younger mind and make a nice paycheck. This mission in turn; soon lead him to a new interest, a more beautiful woman who actually loved him and returned the sentiments even if it was for a short time. Hell, their time together even brought out Scout. Though the relationship was cut short due to his profession and unfinished business, it was certainty more truer then his old fling.

Spy took a deep breath and stared at nothing in particular, he sure missed his 'petit chou-fleur'. It's been nearly a year that he has gone without a visit, words on paper would never be enough to send his full admiration and love; many have been sent and sometimes he'd receive a letter back. He could already feel the parchment in his gloved hands, a slight scent of her favorite perfume infused with the paper now flooding his nostrils; white gardenia mixed with jasmine, violet, and a hint of neroli. A smile graced his lips. Her perfect voluptuous curves, silky smooth and gentle sun-kissed skin, fine soft locks of dark ebony, eyes of precious sapphires, fingers of a temptress, lips of-. A banded hand flew up and waved in his face, Spy blinked and turned towards the owner of said hand and frowned.

"Earth-ta-Spy, ya still there? What's with dat dreamy smile?" He asked, brows furrowed. "Look I know she sounds hot and she really is, I'll admit."

"Couldn't agree more." He interrupted smiling again, mind going back to 'his amour'.

"But ya not even pay'n attention anymore." He waved a finger at the frenchy. "Don't make me leave." Scout threatened, or attempted to though he wasn't sure if the man would care or not if he did.

Spy sighed and mentally waved farewell to precious memory. "You were saying?"

"Bout time. Okay, next guy is a madman, like literally. This aged and gray chucklehead has the title of 'Chemist' class. A scientist college professa from Siberia dat got kicked outta his own country for 'accidently' poisoning his bothersome pupils, then later caught runn'n some pretty messed up tests on them. Killed a few of them, was imprisoned for a few years though his sentence was cut short by Siberia's government. In fact; he's only out on parole for the bounty. If he succeeds he can pay his own freedom, if not then back to the birdcage. Likes to meddle with various toxins and chemicals that are typically hazardous to the human health. Likes to test limitations and all dat. He kinda scares me, but not much; don't know what he's got in those test tubes of his."

"Ah, test tubes; what a fine choice of weaponry." Spy mocked.

"Name; Viktor Step-a-nov." He paused. "I think I pronounced dat correctly, break'n it down was the only way I could remember it. Ya know how Russian names are. Anyway, dis nut here has like a machine on his back dat mixes chemicals and has a nozzle that can spray it. One specifically sprays a solution dat heals wounds, another is like an poison cloud kinda concoction. There's freak'n acid too! Then some otha random brew that either creates a slowing slime, gross. Or has the otha effects I mentioned. Then there's his secondary weapon is like a syringe gun; like Medic's, but shoots fragile test tubes. Probably loaded with poison or test chemical... I don't know. Don't wanna find out eitha.

Also he's a germaphobic." Scout laughed to himself. "How could I forget. Just flick some snot on him and see what happens, I do wanna at least try dat if he tries to corner me."

"Yes, that would be amusing, if he doesn't kill you first."

"Ya never know Spy, he might be one of those talkers that go on and on bout how they got you and talk bout how they are going to kill you and stuff; could easily take advantage of dat."

"Don't assume anything about these hunters yet Scout; it's too soon."

"Pshhh, whatevea. Next one's a pushova I bet. Got the name of a noodle. The 'Huntsman' class. Humphrey Pearce, a thirty-six year old that's an actual hunter from Great Britain; one of those tea and crumpets guys dat has hounds chase'n foxes into holes and stuff. Likes golf and drinks strictly tea, so lame. He has a lot of trophies and mounted animals on his walls. Loves to use bows and arrows; so classy and yet primitive. He's freak'n rich but bounty hunts for the sheer challenge. Uses a crossbow for up close fights, steel longbow for distance, a freak'n boomerang; which makes me wonder if Snipes eva used one. And has a Swiss knife to gut animals, also; arrows are razor sharp and can probably cause major bleed'n."

Scout laughed to himself after he thought about the guy. "Hey, I bet dis guy has pencil arms for sure. Looked like a noodle in the pict'cha!"

"At least he sounds like a civilized man for the most part, though a shame he must die."

"Last but not least, the 'Fighter' class. Talk'n about throwing punches, dis guy will do it. Tough as nails, big and built almost like Heavy, looks like he belongs in a biker gang or a bouncer for a club. I would describe his looks; but he's go one ugly-serious-look'n mug, thankfully, he wears mechanical armor; or someth'n resembling it to hide the ugly. Has these fancy plates dat protects him from most bullets; though for a short time, cause I'm sure a few rockets or fire will peel em. He's got a gadget on his fists that can double his punch and really mess ya up; good thing he'll never land a hit on me." Scout laughed nervously. "Can also do some pretty crazy moves but he's probably slow; there wasn't much information on his armor or background. Didn't have a name listed or identified background. All I know, he's one pretty scary mother-fu-."

"Is that all?" Spy interrupted, pulling himself to the edge of the bed.

"Um yeah, pretty much. Like I said, couldn't find anything on him or dat unlisted mystery guy other than the fact he's from Spain, has two accounts of being officially dead, and looks like a pencil-arm spook much like yourself."

With his back facing Scout his frown turned into a sneer, that man was the worst of the bunch and probably the one that will kill someone first. Spy would know, the man attacked him when he first scouted the back yard and was met with a holographic duplicate of a man and a 'very real' dagger. The 'Illusionist' class was a deadly one indeed.

It is terrifying when you actually know the mystery killer but cannot name them, one who was once a mentor of sorts and even at a time believed to be comrade. Illusion is the ultimate betrayer, the fake, the deceitful, the faded.

Scout looked back up at the 'known' spook who was now facing away from him, he noticed Spy now getting off the bed and walking over to the counter to fetch the remainders of his suit; he was moving slower than usual and could hear pained grunts. Scout positioned himself up straight in his chair and questioned. "Hey, you gett'n up now? Aren't you still stiff and in pain?" As he said that Spy was already clutching his side and holding a firm grip over the bandaged wound. "Don't ya know? Wanna stay down for a bit and relax? Dat wound of yours is still pretty fresh and I'm sure the doc will not be happy to see you up in dat condition. Gotta be in pain moving around."

"Of course." Spy said bluntly as he pulled down his dress shirt carefully, he then grabbed the jacket piece of his crabbmarché and his crimson tie.

Scout's brows raised. "What? Then why move?"

Spy roped the tie around his neck and began to fix it into place, he struggled a little with his focus deterred by the conversation and the blooming pain in his abdomen. "You know that I cannot stay here, I must help make some final preparations before sunrise and see Miss Pauling off before the hunters arrive. I would expect you to be coming along to see her off as well?" He asked now turning back towards Scout who stood up out of his chair as quickly as he could.

"Wait, Miss Pauling is leaving dis morning?!" He asked, jaw dropping.

Spy shook his head and tried to dismiss Scout's lack of common sense. "Well yes." He nodded and motioned his hand. "The longer it takes her to be on her own mission; the more difficult it will be to stay here and stay alive you imbecile. Wave one will not be a welcome wagon, I'm expecting one of us to at least have a close call or even get wounded. Possibly worse than I. I don't know when; but it has to be done, I need to get to the BLU base and try to find some medi-serum or we'll surely die within the week."

Scout closed his mouth, Spy seemed pretty serious, almost like he was afraid; not the chicken kind that run away at the first opportunity but dead-serious. It made him wonder. "Why are ya so antsy Spy? I don't think I've eva seen you like dis."

Spy's brows raised, "What do you mean?" He asked, now fearing that his typical demeanor of an unmovable man had been shattered.

"I dunno, you're different though; kinda scary. Not ya know, 'ahhhhh! Run for your lives' afraid but someth'n kinda worse and serious."

The cover could not be blown this soon, morale mustn't fall.

Spy cracked a grin then started laughing aloud, Scout only gave him a confused expression for the sudden outburst. The spy cracked a snort or two then let his laughter fall to a low chuckle. "Scout, don't be ridiculous; the rest of your blood must be everywhere but your brain. We'll handle it of course, like we did during the Mann-vs-Machine battles. It's just... without our Medic armed with the medigun; things are just going to be a little more dangerous for us. I trust the doctor will put us back together with thread and needle, will hurt; that much is promised, but we will be fine until Miss P returns with our freedom. Or so I hope she does. We always pull through don't we?" He encouraged.

That was a relief to the runner, maybe it was the meds Medic had injected into Spy to relieve the pain or was his own delirium from the lack of blood. Hell, maybe they were both delirious from meds and low blood and there really wasn't too much to worry about? Spook was right though, they always pulled through; from the thick and thin and no matter what it was in their way. No matter it be BLUs, bounty hunters, machines, or themselves at times. They we a team and so was everyone else. Miss P, Soldier, Zhanna, Medic, Engie, Heavy, Demo, Pyro, and Snipes. Scout's smile came back as did a more laidback expression.

"I'm unda base-arrest until Medic thinks I'm ready ta do some ass kick'n, sorry dat I won't be any help; at least not right now."

"Hmm, waiting is actually a good idea. What was that little phrase you said back in Teufort? Something along the lines of 'Playing the long game'? Good things come to those who wait?"

"Not quite. Actually, it's the Get rich-slow scheme." Scout corrected.

Spy rolled his eyes, trying his best to suppress his need to shout at the simpleton. "Right. More pressing issues right now Scout. So how about a new phrase for this moment if you will?"

"Whaddaya mean?"

"'Save the best for last', might be down now; but in the near future the hunters won't even know who shot them in the back." Spy encouraged and patted the runner on the shoulder.

Scout laughed a bit. "Actually, I was think'n, 'Save the Scout for last', sounds betta right? Cause ya know, Im da best and I'm also the only Scout class here and I'll be entering in battle later like a big surprise that'll literally blow em away with my scattershot and they won't see it coming till it's too late. I'll-." He started mumbling off to himself and coming up with other phrases that make him seem cool or great.

As much as Spy was beginning to actually enjoy time with Scout; something he once thought would never happen, there were more pressing issues at hand as unfortunate as it was. So had their little chit-chat had to come to an end, for now. Although he was not about to expect the same kind of closeness anytime soon; Scout had given much blood and was possibly delirious from medicine and blood loss.

This was perhaps the closest they've been as father and son, not that he deserved the title or that Scout knew. He almost didn't think that it was possible with them bickering so much or disregarding the other over the years as mercenaries, perhaps it was for the best to end it here.

It's funny...

'The closeness of death sure brings out the strangest of feelings.' He mused.

"Scout." He patted the Boston youth on the shoulder once more to gain his attention. "I am going to see Miss Pauling off, I expect that you're coming as well?"

"Well of course!"

"Then let's go, daybreak is wasting."


	6. Fine line between Truth and Lies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FINALLY PROGRESSION! 
> 
> The next chapter is going to be so fun to write, Medic is already fun to write(excluding zhe fact zhat I need to change out so many vords to start with a Z or V) Thanks for waiting patiently for this chapter and happy reading!

...

"So, this is it then?" Miss Pauling sighed with a bit of apprehension on her features, she pocketed her hands in her coat and made sure her small hand pistol was still set on safety; the trip down the snowy powdery slope wasn't going to be an easy walk in the park. She turned her eyes to the team, some of the guys looked more upbeat and even smiled and more hopeful and confident than she thought. At least Heavy, Spy, Scout, Demo, and Engineer seemed the most confident, Sniper on the other hand looked practically exhausted and unsure about her leaving; though he has yet to complain or even question her. Pyro, no telling what was going through that mind of his or where he was even at. Zhanna looked like she was about to cry with Soldier trying to quietly reassure her in the corner of the room, it was a pain to get her to agree to join her on the mission; but it was better than going alone. "You ready Zhanna?"

 

The larger Russian woman swayed her head back and forth and narrowed her eyes. "No, Zhanna is not ready to leave her Soldier." She pulled the proud American to her bosom and squeezed tightly, he didn't protest. "Why must Zhanna go?" She asked with a hint of anger in her tone.

 

Before Miss P could even respond, Heavy walked over to his sister and folded his arms. "Pauling needs you, go now Zhanna; protect her. Leetle' woman needs help, Soldier can take care of self; he has team. He has me." His words did little to sway the bodacious woman.

 

Spy took another puff of his cigarette before speaking up. "It has to be you, both Miss Pauling and yourself are not part of the bounty hunt or even known as a matter of fact; there will be little reason for anyone to attack you for there is no monetary value on your heads. However; this does not mean that some of the hunters will attack you, some might since you are in association with us. Some might even try and capture you to use as leverage against us. Therefore, it is best to send you off as well; Miss P will need you more than us."

 

The shorter woman nodded. "He's right, we'll have no idea if I'd be shot just for going down the mountain, I might actually need back up should I be found or suspected in working with you guys. Not that I can't handle myself since I will try to go unnoticed." She said with slight confidence. "But even if I got down without being seen, it doesn't make my mission anymore easier from that point forward. And since the only other person that isn't currently wanted of this band mercenaries, that leaves you as my only backup option."

 

"But."

 

Soldier pulled himself from the strong grip which surprised the Russian woman, he fixed his helmet so that it was no longer crooked on his head and proceeded to place both his hands on Zhanna's shoulders. "I would rather saw off my own arm and beat the hunters to death with it then to have you leave us; and I'd do it too with you by my side, if only it weren't for the obvious fact that Miss P is tiny brave soldier that is only armed with a handgun and the wit of a feisty mongoose."

 

Miss Pauling looked unamused of his comment. "Thanks Soldier." She replied with half lidded eyes and a frown.

 

"As much as I would love to fight with you here on the frontlines, it's best that we part ways; for now." He removed his arms and pulled her in a half embrace, one limb over the woman's shoulder while his free hand rose up and clenched into a fist. "She's on the mission to save our mercenary status and even our very lives, it's time to do the American thing; take arms and fight!" He then spun her to face him. "Not just to fight, to but to bring us freedom! 'Our' freedom! What's war if there is no one with the guts to say 'I'll do it, I'll fight behind the lines even if it means not catching the glory the ones on the front do'?! This is not a mission for one soldier, we need you to win if from the back while we win it from the front. Can you do that soldier?"

 

Zhanna's expression changed over slowly, she then nodded and smiled.

 

Soldier then gave her a salute.

 

"If Zhanna help wins it for you and tiny woman, you promise to return to Zhanna and show me more of your beloved country?" She asked, her hands took his.

 

Soldier wore a big grin. "Son, if we get out of this confounded mess of a merc and hunter war; I'll show you everything in America that makes it so great. I'll take you anywhere and everywhere, even show you every nook and cranny of the greatest battlegrounds of American history; might even find empty bullet shells that we can string together and make a belt out of 'em. It's a promise! Here" Soldier walked over to the table where a jar was sitting on the edge with a label on it, he picked it up and walked back over to the woman. "This is for you," He handed it to her and she look it with a surprising look in her eyes. "Should you find yourself surrounded by any kind of mechanical menaces or those bounty scoundrels, use this honey and think back to the victory that it brought us before. There's nothing like snapping necks, head-bashing, and ripping through your enemies while being coated in sweet American justice."

 

Miss Pauling brought her palm to her face.

 

"This? It is last one!" Zhanna held the jar and looked to be near the edge of tears, Soldier nodded. "Zhanna will remember Soldier and fight for him, Soldier is the best thing that happened in Zhanna's life."

 

Scout watched as Soldier and Zhanna pulled themselves together into a big embrace and kissed, as strange as it was; it made him want to try the motivational talk and maybe share a kiss between him and Miss Pauling though he doubted it would happen. He was still nervous with the younger woman, getting better at talking to her but not quiet the 'ladies man' like he wanted to be or so how he imagined he'd be.

 

Jeremy broke from the male mass and moved up to the shorter woman, he was still reluctant in his actions but he eventually forced himself to take her free hand into his. "Miss Pauling..." He started, eyes off to the side.

 

"Scout." She replied.

 

He looked back and faintly beamed. "Uh, you're gonna do great." He chided with a small nervous chuckle. "I mean, you've helped us plenty already n' stuff so dis will be like noth'n for ya. Plus ya got her." He added, nodding towards the large Russian woman. "She's much like Heavy; minus the guns, but still good at kick'n ass. I know you can do it, we're count'n on you."

 

Miss Pauling smiled. "Thanks Scout, I will try; that much I can at least promise. After all, all that I have to do is get down this mountain, hitchhike south for about fifty-six miles to the nearest airport, fly east for about eight more hours then infiltrate an official governmental building while undercover, and dispose of the 'criminal' records of the entire team. Then locate the source that created this mess and hired the hunters; get incriminating evidence of their framed work and go undercover as someone else to pull the strings that will get them caught and have the whole bounty and wanted status removed from you guys for good. No big deal, at least nothing that I'm not too unfamiliar with. The Administrator had me do worse before." She finished with a shrug.

 

He was a quite baffled, that sounded like a lot of work which meant that it could take weeks it seemed; weeks away from Miss P and not being there for her should she need her. "Wow." He started, gaping. "Dat's a lot ta do Miss Pauling, Gonna take some time huh?"

 

"Well yeah, I might have to take a little more time to tie up loose ends if it comes down to it, though I really hope I don't. Killing and disposing of government officials along with destroying any trace of evidence is more difficult to do than it would for lower level politicians. So much to cover up. Wish me luck."

 

Scout beamed. "Only da best! I'm wish'n the world for ya, no one else can pull off dis brave and great endeavor; not like you. You haven't failed us yet and I doubt ya will, we'll do our best too; just try and not take foreva okay?"

 

Miss P nodded and glanced briefly at her hand in his gentle grasp. "I know, I will do whatever I can as fast as I can. Just hold out here and wait; it won't be too long; a few weeks at best. So I'm aiming."

 

"I know you will." Scout started to lose his smile when she slipped her hand out of his. The woman turned away for a short moment like she was about to leave but quickly spun back around to the runner and quickly pecked his cheek. Scout though now surprised grinned ear from ear, he felt like a million bucks and wanted to shout. It wasn't exactly a kiss like he wanted but it was more than he ever expected.

 

Spy now done with his cigarette let the remains die out at the nub, he smiled; Scout was finally getting somewhere with the woman.

 

"Thanks for believing in me Scout, and thanks for helping Spy; I know you'll be out of the fight for a little while but try not to let that discourage you. You're a good person, that's what I like about you." She paused and turned towards the team, Medic was walking through the door as she spoke again; now everyone was together for her parting. 

 

"This team is without question the best I've ever worked with and oddly the most strangest rag-tag team I've ever gotten to know, I'm doing this not of myself or for pay. I'm doing it all for you guys, none of you deserve to die; I would say that it's an honor to have met and worked with each and every one of you. I don't know how long I'll be gone or what will happen; but all that I can ask is for you to work together and hold down this fort; it's admittedly not the best to defend but it does have it's advantages. I hope... no, I expect to come back with all of you intact or at least in a fair condition; you haven't failed as a whole yet."

 

Sniper's frown deepened, he moved himself from the group and moved over to the table to sit down as Miss Pauling gave her little 'motivational' speech; only Medic gave him a spare questionable glance as he walked by. Snipes shrugged it off. It was more easier to pretend and hide the fact that he knew what odds they had, there was no comfort in hearing hopeful words when there was really very little hopes to be had. He mentally cursed Spy for being able to mask the actual outlook so well; hiding behind a smile that looked far too genuine and confident. But then again, he was a spy and good at hiding things.

 

"Hmmmhhh hmmrrmmm."

 

Engie turned around to see Pyro returning from the bunkhouse with old blankets. "Here ladies, use these dusty and bland blankets to keep warm and to help camo ya up out there." Engie handed them over and let the women drape it over their shoulders. "It's cold enough out there to make your nose hairs freeze, I even had to knock some ice off the sentry I set up only a few hours ago."

 

What a nice distraction Sniper thought.

 

Someone plotted in the seat on the other side of the table across from him; he lifted his chin to find that it was Medic.

 

Damn.

 

"Vhat's wrong?" The doc whispered. "You look fatigued, but zhat's not zhe only issue is it Sniper?"

 

Sniper leaned forward and placed his hand on his cheek with his elbow holding him up, he was indeed very tired with only a few hours of sleep and dreadful thoughts keeping him going. He didn't need this kind of attention right now, but it annoyed him how the Medic picked up on his behavior despite his tiredness. "It's noth'n mate, only 'ad three hours of sleep; not much to be concerned with."

 

Medic was not moved, he knew physical condition and emotional condition as well; the sniper was not hiding anything with that facade. "Zhat's not vhat I see, you look bothered; been zhat way since last night. Heavy zold me zhat you vould not pass zhe lookout shift to Pyro, Soldier, nor Scout last night... and zhis early morning apparently." He adjusted his glasses and placed his ungloved hands on the table, his serious gaze now locked on the orbs behind the yellow shades. "If zhere is something you vould like to zalk about; you can zell me. Something is clearly affecting your health."

 

Sniper narrowed his eyes a bit. As much as he would love to just get the damn secret off his chest, or go back so that he was never told the truth of their situation; he knew that he couldn't. Actually, it was probably best that he found out so that he could help Spy stand guard and be more alert; though at the same time it was a curse to his motivation. "Oi, it's noth'n. I 'preciate the concern, but it's really not somth'n to be worried about."

 

"I'm zrying to look after-"

 

"Medic please." He interrupted and leaned forward so that on one could hear him. "If it's bother'n you dat bad, I've been 'av'n some bad dreams okay." He whispered and then leaned back into the bench. He lied, but at least it looked as though the Medic had believed him.

 

Medic tapped his chin in thought. "Is zhat all, are you sure it's nothing else?"

 

Sniper nodded. "Don't go tell'n anyone okay, there's noth'n to worry about." He finished and the doctor silently agreed with a nod; though something told the rifleman that Medic didn't fully accept the answer. Oh well, it's not like he needed to know about the current situation regarding the odds anyways. All they had to do was survive, wave after wave and killing any sneaky little bastards trying to worm their way into the base. They knew now what to expect, this was the advantage they needed above all else other than having an impenetrable fortress. Kill the gunman class, the exterminator class, and chemist class as soon as possible. Also watch out for the mystery unnamed hunter. The rest should be more easier to deal with along with unclassed and unnamed hunters that have no renown.

 

"Bye miss Pauling, stay wrapped up." Scout waved as the shorter woman and the larger Russian woman wave and walk out the door in the cover of the early morning glow. "Do ya best, we'll be wait'n." He finished more quietly as the two got further away.

 

"You can shut it now Scout, too cold for that." Engie shut the makeshift door after the runner backed away, his smile faded.

 

Medic sighed and lifted himself from the table, Sniper was silent still and didn't even wave goodbye; there had to be something more than bad dreams that was bothering him. But for now he let it slip, his eyes moved over to his first patient that was holding his side as he moved towards resupply. Spy should not be moving so much or gearing up for any fight, at least not yet; his wound hadn't barely began to recover. Only stiches were keeping the wound swen together. Besides, there was something that he needed to talk about with the masked man; in private.

 

The doctor followed the man to resupply, excusing himself from accidently clipping Heavy on the way through; he was happily excused and entered the room to find Spy on the bench close to his cubby. He still looked to be in much pain with the expression he was currently wearing. "Spy, may I ask vhy you are here?" The masked man turned towards him, a slight grimace on his visible features.

 

"Doctor, I am fine; it still burns but nonetheless I am doing particularly well." He let go of his side and reached over to take some ammo clips from the self and stashed them into his pockets. "I am just here for some ammo, though there is not much; there is at least enough to last the week so long as I mostly backstab rather than shoot. Also, may I ask where my watch and Dead Ringer are?"

 

"Zhey are still in zhe infirmary, I put zhem in a bowl so zhat zhey do not contaminate zhe area. You're request if you remember ja? Zhough I do not zhink you are ready for battle either mein freund."

 

Spy lightly groaned with a contorted face and sat up straight to lessen the pain from his hunching position. "I know I'm not, but it is not a choice doctor. Thankfully, I don't have to fully engage enemies to kill them; nor does it take but a quick backstab with little energy." He said as he grabbed a butterfly knife from his cubby and flicked the blade out in seconds and pointed it at the Medic. He then flicked it back into it's handle form and pocketed it. "Besides, I have plenty of blood now; won't take longer to fully recover my strength. You pulled much from him doctor, more than necessary if I am correct?" His side gaze land on the Medic who's now wearing a serious expression. He got his answer but wanted to hear for himself. "Any reason as to why?"

 

'How would he know that?' The doctor thought silently to himself, the man wasn't wrong.

 

Medic straightened his posture and placed his hands behind his back, he lifted his chin to hide his eyes in the blaring reflection of the room's light. He lightly inhaled. "I had to." He started with a simple answer and turned to have his back facing the Spy's strong glare. "Out of everyone here zhat ve need most; it is you Spy. You are zhe mastermind of our plans, zhe silent shadow, quiet killer. You have a record of kills zhat greatly outnumber ours; even more zhan zhe Soldier. Of course, you never really had humble beginnings vhen you joined the mercenaries, you came from a job zhat was made for killing in secret and designing flawless schemes to accomplish your goals. Vithout you, ve vill fall apart; not all of us can have your 'cunning' mind. Physically veak but sharper zhan a double-edged sword.

 

Out of everyone here, zhe least ve need is Scout. Speed vill do us no good in zhis weather nor location; too easy for an ambush and zraps. You agree, Ja?" He turned back around, the gaze was not as intimidating as it was before.

 

"As much as I wish to disagree, I cannot."

 

"It zakes blood to keep zhe mind sharp." He pointed at his cranium.

 

"However." Spy interrupted. "There is no reason to hinder him, I didn't lose all that much now did I?" He countered, searching for truth in the Medic's eyes. "Now you want to tell me why you did it?" The Medic seemed very suspicious to him.

 

Medic sighed and nodded. "Very vell Spy, since you insist." Medic's rigid posture lost it's tenseness. "I can't zrust him. I cannot zrust Scout."

 

The masked man raised a brow with bewilderment, this answer he didn't expect.

 

"Not in zhat vay, not in zhe vay you zhink. Scout has always been zhe one to act now and zhink later." He reached up and pushed his glasses back into a snug fit on the bridge of his nose. "His lack of experience is also a concern; barely knows zragedy on zhe battlefield. I fear zhat zhis fight vill not be like zhe rest, zhe other mercs... zhey have been ... different upon arrival here, Sniper is already showing signs of paranoia and restlessness, I believe he lied to me earlier; not zhat it is important yet. I fear zhere is much more zhan bad dreams occupying his mind. Even you have been on edge Spy, you are just really good at hiding it. Zhis fight vill be a bloodbath, I just know it. And Scout... I vish not to see 'him' be zhe first to go."

 

He knew as well? Spy blinked, his expression faltered for a fraction of a second. He already knew from the start... or perhaps the doc only knew to an extent through reading body language; that much he hoped. "And for that reason?"

 

"My my, full of questions zoday aren't ve? Zhat answer..."

 

Demoman came trudging through the room which made the doc immediately cease the conversation, the demolitions expert was swaying a bit from his hangover. "Medik, got someth'n for this headache?"

 

Medic nodded. "Ja, it's called vater, drink a few glasses of it."

 

"That's it? No medicine?"

 

"No, just drink some vater and lie down for a bit."

 

The demolitions expert groaned sheepishly from the 'simple' solution and left resupply with his wobbling steps.

 

"How many times are you going to have to tell him that?" Spy suddenly inquired.

 

The Medic lightly chuckled. "Ah yes, he seems to forget easily, no particular reason!" He defended with a grin. "As much zime as it zakes I suppose." He turned back to the doorway to see Pyro and Soldier pass by, this was no place to talk. "Um Spy, can I speak to you in zhe infirmary; in private. Zhere is something zhat I must zell you and it vould be best vith out unwanted interruptions."

 

Spy sighed and lifted from the bench slowly, he held his wound carefully. "Very well, I need to retrieve my cloaking devices anyway. More pain medication would also be appreciated."

 

"Pain medication?" Medic inquired, serious expression gone. "Um ve don't have any pain medication, ve are out of it like zhe medi-serum." He pointed out.

 

Spy raised a brow. So neither him nor Scout were on meds? It was almost hard to believe that all the things they've said between them were actually genuine; although there was the lack of the average blood count... or at least on Scout's end.

 

"Now ve do have a particular sedative in a gas form zhat I can give you but it causes drowsiness and eventually unconsciousness; can greatly affect performance on zhe feild." He beamed. "I can only save zhat for patients vho need to stay under. Like you for instance, I used a little for you vhen I put you on my table; but zhat was hours ago. It only lasts for zwo hours after given."

 

Strange, but useless information. Spy let the topic go. "No thank you, I would prefer to be 'awake' when we are attacked; the other base may still have active bombs in it, can't sleep if they find the device and decide to use it against us."

 

Medic brought his hands together. "As yes, zhat vould be unwise. Now, zhe infirmary if you vill?"

 

"Fine, just give me a second."

 

...

 

Scout found himself wondering into the mess hall when his stomach began to groan, he was going to go back to the bunkhouse and retrieve his scattergun and prep himself in the event of a hunter getting in the base but his hunger and strong craving for sugar told him otherwise. Medic had told him to eat a sandvich and drink some soda to help him restore his strength after generously donating his blood; but he found himself hitting the hay instead. Now he felt more drained than before, at least he had some sleep; Snipes looked like he was still fighting sleep... or insomnia. Engie had already dozed off while standing up and leaning on the wall close to the exit and near his beeping sentry, poor guy couldn't fight another hour.

 

Oh well, at least the base had some fortifications now and some doors; now to just secure something in his stomach and Scout would get ready though he wasn't expecting any of those bastards getting by his awesome team.

 

The first thing his eyes landed on when he entered the room was Heavy forcefully trying to saw what looked like the Medic's bone saw through a loaf of bread, he was struggling and the runner couldn't suppress his laugh. "Hey hey, Big Guy!" Heavy turned to look at him, he walked over and patted the gunner on the shoulder. "Uh- ya having some trouble dere pal? It's only bread." He jeered.

 

"Ha, like to see leetl' man cut through frozen bread himself." Heavy beamed back and continued dragging the saw through the loaf. Heavy already cut through frozen meat." He pointed to the other end of the table where four thick and jagged slices of meat rested on a plate. "No lettuce or olives. Just meant and bread."

 

Scout gave him a thumbs up. "I'm cool with dat, I'd eat just about anything at dis point. What else we got?" He asked, now walking over to the mini refrigerator to find one bottle of milk and another loaf of frozen bread.

 

"Just cold bread and Meat, last jar of milk also." He sneered as he finally sawed off a chunky slice. He then started cutting into another. "Milk is mine!" He claimed. "Heavy do work for sandvich, Heavy get milk if you eat Heavy's sandvich."

 

The runner rolled his eyes. "Fine you can have dat milk, I'm crav'n sugar like it's no one's business anyways." He slammed the refrigerator door shut and walked over to one of the cabinets to fetch a plate; thankfully they were still there. What he found in the cabinet next to that one was a six pack of untouched Bonk soda stashed away in the corner with a box of oatmeal hiding the cans. 

 

"Oh my God, I can't believe no one found dis." He looked over at Heavy and pointed his finger at the soda before reaching in and pulling the cans out by the plastic binding them together. "Heavy, no one took my soda; I left here and forgot all about it like forevea ago. Hope it's not frozen too, or old." He lightly shook the cans and heard sloshing and fizzy sounds. "Dat's perfect!" He shouted as he placed the six pack on the table and grabbed the first two slices of bread that Heavy had cut. He then moved to the other end of the table to grab a slice of meat. "Aw sweet, thick cuts."

 

"Da." Heavy happily agreed. "But no more, save rest for others. Not much food."

 

"Yeah yeah." The scout agreed and sat down, he held the sandvich in his hands and let the his warm palms and fingers thaw the thing. "Man dat is cold." When his digits started getting too cold he set the food back on the plate and covered it with the back of his hands. To pass some time, Scout watched as Heavy used the bone saw to cut through the last of the bread, how or why Heavy is using Medic's weapon as a knife was strange. It worked, but it was still weird. "Hey, you wash dat thing first?" He asked while reaching and pulling his first drink free of the plastic and pealing the tab for a pleasant sound of fizz.

 

"Of course tiny man." He finished cutting the bread then laid the saw on the table before assembling his own sandvich. "Had doktor clean it first, no knives here; they gone."

 

Scout shrugged. "Well, when ya have ta improvise, ya gotta. Nice choice." He finally took a bite; the sandvich was very cold but no longer a block of ice. "Okay, from now on, I want thick cold cuts. Dis is great, two sandviches in one." He took another bite then sipped the Bonk soda. The fizzy drink didn't taste any different from the last time he had one, it was damn good like always. Craving the ever buzzing sugar that nestled on his taste buds, he downed nearly half of it in one go. It's like it wasn't enough. "Whoo!" Now dat hits da spot."

 

He finished the sandvich quickly then downed the rest of the soda, he belched when he finished and felt the tingling sensation he'd normally get after drinking the radiated soda. Felt like he had his strength again, almost like he could arm wrestle Heavy... though that was still a bad idea, or run down the mountain to catch Miss Pauling for one last farewell. Without much thought, he grabbed another Bonk and popped the tab.

 

Heavy lifted a brow and watched the Boston youth drink another, one Bonk was enough to make the little man a bouncy speeding flea; it did not seem like a good idea for the man to drink another. Nor waste what little rations they had. "That enough leetl'e man, save some for later."

 

Scout had nearly finished his second can before finally setting it down. "I dunno Heavy, I did give 'a lot' of blood ta Spy, I think I deserve dis can... and maybe another."

 

The big man shook his head. "You save them for battle later, your choice; not mine. Heavy give you advice, that is all." His expression sank more as Scout placed the second empty can on the table.

 

"Okay, okay Tons-of-fun. I'm done, got it?" He held his arms out at the big guy but Heavy only moved to the fridge to grab the milk. 

 

"You too fast. Run fast, eat fast, drink fast. Scout need to slow down and enjoy the leetl' things."

 

"Pah, fast is how I live. And soon enough, I'll be zipp'n by you in the battle. I'll be out dere in no time pal, just you wait." Scout reached over and took another Bonk soda, Heavy shot him a glare. Scout lost his smile and looked offended. "What? I'm only save'n it for later, geeze." Thankfully his pocket was big enough to hold the can, he told himself that he should go back to the bunkhouse to grab his bag. "Well thanks for the sandvich, I feel good." He stood up and stretched his arms, he was already feeling the sugar rush; Heavy now seemed twice as slow with him returning to the table to sit down and eat.

 

It's too bad he couldn't use this sudden rush of energy to fight, he felt like a charged lightning bolt with nothing to strike. Well, it's not like they were being attacked at that moment anyways. Scout brought a hand up to the top of his head to relieve a sudden itch. Now that he thought about it, he had forgotten his hat back in the infirmary. "Okay." He started talking to himself. "First stop by bunk to get bag, bat, and gun, then to Medic's torture chamber for da hat. See ya Big Guy." 

 

Scout waved goodbye and trotted out of the mess hall, he moved somewhat slow; holding himself back from flying throughout the building. Like he needed to be scolded by everyone since he was 'too weak' after donating blood and whatnot. The last thing he needed was to be scolded by Snipes, Medic and Spy; three serious-somewhat serious people that tell him what to do like he's some idiot or kid. Heavy and Engie are pretty close to the point of constantly scolding too, they are the runner-ups. At least Pyro and Demo were cool in the fact that they almost never get onto him.

 

Oh well, being the youngest still has it's perk at least.

 

...

 

"Please Spy." Medic slapped the papers and the folder onto the operating table with his hand over the top. "If you knew zhis entire zime, zhen why keep it a secret? Vhat exactly are you to zhe runner, must be either father or uncle; zhere is nothing else zhat vould make sense. And, don't zhink you can worm your way vith a lie and deny the zruth, zhere's a fine line and DNA doesn't lie." The doctor kept his eyes on the spy in the chair, but the man seemed very hesitant to answer; Medic was only intrigued more when Spy was not surprised with his findings. This man knew he had relations to Scout for a very long time now, but apparently he had no intentions of sharing such information. 'Why' is what he wanted to know. "I just vant answers."

 

Spy was trying to make himself more comfortable on the chair that Scout had previously used, sitting in it was still quite the pain but he managed to lean back in it. This was one conversation he was trying so desperately to avoid every since he joined the mercs, he knew that the doc was bound to find out sooner or later; Miss Pauling and the Administrator must have know the entire time. He placed a hand on his head. What a headache to deal with and at a bad time too. "Is this conversation even worth it to you doctor?" He turned his head to see the serious expression of the Medic. "What is it to you? Giving you answers will not help anything, unless curiosity is a thing of yours?"

 

Damn, why did he feel like the Medic was accusing him of some sort of crime? He was certainty no cop.

 

...Scout made his way to the infirmary after grabbing his bag and weapons, not that he was going to be using the stuff unless the place was breached; but he doubted that would happen. The hunters only want proof of their deaths anyways. Still, you'd never know what could happen, and if some daring chucklehead was to come in uninvited, well he'd show them the way out. Upon approaching the infirmary door, he noticed that it was slightly shut; but of course most doors in this place were broken or missing handles and locks.

 

The good old days of slamming doors open to yell at people, great times. He thought.

 

He heard Medic talking and the guy sounded pretty serious. Scout laid his stuff by the door and peeked through the crease. Of course it wasn't his business but everyone always gets into his buiss so why couldn't he get into the buiss of others? 

 

"Zhis is important."

 

Who was he speaking to? He thought to himself. He opened it up just enough to see Medic standing and he was talking to... Spy? Probably about his wound or something, Medic made it sound important.

 

Medic left the papers and walked over until he stood in front of Spy, he crossed his arms. "Vhy yes, curiosity is vhat got me into zhis organization to begin vith, new zhings... intrigue me." He admitted. "Particularly zhe insides of bodies, but zhat is beside zhe point." He quickly shrugged off with a faint smile and his expression fell back into a serious one. "Zhis information I stumbled upon, it is also a reason vhy I drawled much blood from Scout. I have your answer, zhat is if you don't know vhat it is already now."

 

... He said his name. Scout was definitely curious now, and because he was mentioned... it was kind of his business now. Besides, he was talking to Spy, dat snake-in-the-grass about him and the blood transfusion.

 

Spy shook his head. "Why Ludwig? Because we are related?" He countered.

 

...Scout's jaw dropped and he quickly used his pinky to clean out his ear. Did he just hear that correctly?

 

"Ja, and I am villing to bet you are his father?"

 

...HIS WHAT?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a bit from the next chapter to increase anticipation.
> 
> "Spy, is zhat really zhe reason you didn't vant him to know?" Medic frowned more deeply.
> 
> The masked man only hung his head with his eyes focused on his gloved hands, they were limp on his lap. 
> 
> "I expect no one to understand, certainly not Scout." His voice lowered. "The life of a spy outside of mercenary work, is a lonely one."
> 
> A long moment of uncomfortable silence passed between the two, then gunfire broke out along with Engie swearing aloud and Soldier shouting a battle cry.
> 
> "We're under attack!"
> 
> Spy immediately rose unto his feet and pocketed his Dead Ringer, he then grabbed his revolver and held it tightly in his grasp, "Merde."


End file.
